The Undecided
by MarieCarro
Summary: Bella thought she knew what her life looked like. It was normal teenage angst and high school boredom. However, one night proves her very wrong and she realizes everyone has been lying through their teeth. Bella isn't normal. Bella is a Witch. And she has a very important choice to make. B/E, Mature Content, AU/A(H)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

Hi everyone! It was quite a while ago that I put up a new story, wasn't it?

Well, I don't know if I want to call this a new story, really, since this is technically the multi-chapter version of Battle As Old As Time, but it has a whole lot of more details, it begins before the one-shot and, of course, continues where BAOAT fades to black.

I truly hope you'll like it! In fact, I haven't been this proud of a story for quite some time, and I've had several pre-readers looking at it, as well as my wonderful Beta Reader Belynda!

I'm so excited to hear what you think of this, and as always, I welcome all sorts of feedback :)

I don't have an updating schedule in mind yet, but many chapters are already written on this story, so I definitely won't leave you hanging after just one or two chapters, I can promise you that, but I have to warn you that I am in the midst of moving, so I can't guarantee weekly updates, but as always, I will do my best for you. Because, you know, I kind of love you guys!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 746

* * *

 **{Chapter 1}**

I looked into the mirror on my vanity as I carefully combed through my long dark hair, and when my brush went through smoothly, I laid it down on the table and started with my makeup. With each step completed, I struck a pose to make sure everything looked as it should.

Some would perhaps call me high maintenance, but I disagreed. It was true that my morning routine always took at least an hour, especially as my style morphed from plain to punk rock, but I saw nothing wrong with wanting to put a bit more effort into my look.

Especially today since it was my eighteenth birthday.

Once I was pleased with everything, I grabbed my jacket and book bag and headed down the stairs.

My dad, Charlie Swan, sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper, and he didn't even look up when I entered. Defiantly, I leaned against the door-frame and crossed my arms as I waited, but when I got no reaction, I groaned in frustration.

I didn't have a car because even though I aced my driver's test, my parents refused to get me one as they didn't think I deserved that sort of freedom. At least not as long as my current behavior remained the way it did. Their words, not mine.

It was true that I wasn't a Miss Goody Two Shoes, but I wasn't nearly as bad as they had in their heads. To tell the truth, it was all Banshee's fault.

Banshee was the nickname my friends and I had given our school's principal because she was such a cold-hearted bitch and her voice was the most annoyingly nasal one in the world. Her real name was actually Hollie Greene, but very few students used it.

Ever since I started my freshman year, she had been after me, and I was sure she'd memorized every phone number that could reach my parents by now since she called them several times a week to "report" on my bad behavior.

It wasn't like I was creating havoc wherever I went.

It was always things like the length of my skirt or the message she thought I was projecting with my band shirts. Other times, it was that I had my feet up on a bench, or that I "talked back in class," according to my teachers.

It was all just ridiculous.

And all of this resulted in my dad driving me to school every day. I hated it, but I didn't have a choice.

"School starts in forty minutes," I said impatiently.

He grunted in acknowledgment but made no move to get up, and I rolled my eyes when I realized that it was going to be the same as yesterday, and the day before that. Dad simply refused to move one inch unless I _asked_ him to drive me, but I saw that as incredibly unnecessary since he _always_ drove me. I believe it was one of his strange notions of teaching me to never take anything for granted or something like that.

My mom, Renee Swan, came down the stairs looking picture perfect with her chestnut hair silky smooth and her face all fresh and dewy-looking. She somehow carried it as if she woke up looking like that, but I was positive she put more effort into her appearance than I did. Otherwise, she wasn't normal.

"Good morning, honey!" she twittered and leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, but I didn't want her to smudge my makeup and cause me to have to do it all over again, so I jerked away.

For a second, she looked hurt, but then she returned to her chirpy self. "Do you want anything special for your birthday breakfast?" she asked and began rummaging through the fridge.

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled and glared at my dad who was slowly lifting his cup of coffee to his lips and appeared to have all the time in the world. "I will be late if we don't get going." He remained in his chair, and I groaned. "Dad!"

He closed the paper and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and a taunting, expectant smile on his face. "You know what you have to do, Isabella."

"Charles, do we really have to go through this every morning?" Mom asked and poured a cup of coffee for herself.

"As long as Isabella doesn't show any appreciation, then yes, Renee, we do," Dad replied, his teeth showing when his smile widened at his continued taunting of me. I knew in spite of his smile that he was boiling inside, though.

It was during times like this that I really didn't understand how my parents ever got married. They were complete opposites. Mom always remained calm and rational, while my dad had a hard time controlling his temper once something triggered it.

Their personalities weren't the only difference, either. Mom loved to dress in bright pastel colors, while Dad's wardrobe mostly consisted of blacks and dark grays; and Mom's dewy face looked like an angel's next to Dad's scruffy and ragged look.

Seriously, whenever they stood next to each other, they looked like light and dark incarnate.

I bit my tongue to prevent the nasty things I wanted to say from coming out and reluctantly did what Dad wanted me to do. "I will be late if we don't leave now. Can you drive me?"

He looked at me, appraising the sincerity in my words, but then he just shrugged. "Better, but you're not quite there yet."

My jaw tensed and I had to use everything I had to not scream at him.

"Charles, if you don't want to drive her, I can do it," Mom said and reached for her car keys.

Dad brought his fist down on the table top and it caused Mom to jump in fright, but this wasn't the first time our arguments led to that reaction, so I kind of saw it coming. "Don't!" he exclaimed and looked at her over his shoulder with a dark look. His smile was gone and replaced with a clenched jaw. "Do not undermine my authority, Renee. I will not tolerate it."

Mom narrowed her eyes and huffed before looking away defiantly.

No, it didn't make any sense to me at all how these two had stayed together for all these years, but I had never heard them even discuss a separation.

I absolutely refused to look at Dad when I opened my mouth again. "Dad, can you drive me to school, please? I will be really late if you don't."

He shifted his eyes to me and stared at me for a long time, and finally, he reached into his pocket for his car keys and headed for the front door. I followed him quietly with my arms still crossed.

"Have a good day, sweetie!" Mom called from the kitchen, but I didn't bother with a reply.

The drive to school held the same quiet tension it always did, and by now I didn't feel guilty when I popped my headphones in and turned up the music because Dad never spoke to me anyway.

When he pulled into the parking lot, I didn't turn down the music, and simply opened the door to get out. His parting words were always that I'd better not do anything stupid, and I usually answered him by rolling my eyes, but I was not in the mood for that today. I was feeling very off, and it hadn't improved with the fight in the kitchen.

Since we had cut it very close, I should have run to my locker to get my books and hurried to class, but I didn't want to arrive all sweaty and disgusting, so I took it easy. Of course, it ended with me getting a disapproving look from the teacher when I entered the classroom, but I didn't really care. It wasn't like I missed anything really important just because I was a few minutes late.

I sat down in my seat next to my best friend, Alice, who was leaning back nonchalantly in her seat and filing her black nails. "You should text, Edward," she told me as her greeting without looking up from her nails. "He was looking for you before class."

"What did he want?" I asked, but I was already digging for my phone.

"Didn't ask," Alice replied, and when the teacher huffed angrily because of our conversation, all she did was shift her eyes from her nails to him, and he immediately shrunk back behind his desk.

I was thoroughly impressed that she could do that because I had never been able to. I'd never understood how she did it, either. Sure, she exuded a very dark aura and it caused most people to give her space whenever she passed, but I still couldn't understand how people could fear my five-foot tall friend.

Maybe I couldn't feel it because, while most people shunned her, I'd felt drawn to her the first day I saw her across the parking lot, and I hadn't been the only one. My entire group of friends had begun to talk excitedly when they saw her, including the guy I hadn't yet started to call boyfriend by that point; Edward.

There was a brief moment when I'd felt jealous that this new girl was stirring up so much emotion, especially since she got Edward so excited. But with his uncanny ability to know how I felt, he had leaned over and whispered, "You know you're the only girl for me." That had placated me, despite the fact that we didn't have any sort of romantic relationship back then.

When Alice had walked up to us during the lunch break, I hadn't been able to stop myself comparing the two of us. She oozed confidence as she got closer, asked which one of us was Edward, introduced herself and that was that; she was in the group.

The worst part for me was that she naturally fit in.

My experience had been completely different. It had occurred during a party that was exclusively for seniors, but my ex-best friend, Angela, and I had somehow been able to crash it. I had spotted Edward the first week of school and had gotten somewhat obsessed with him after that, but because I was a freshman and he was a senior, I didn't dare to approach him.

I'd had all my hopes on that he would be at that party and possibly give me the opportunity to simply speak with him just once.

He and his friends had been sitting on a group of couches in the corner and I'd slowly made my way over there while completely ignoring Angela's pleas to leave. We had already been there for hours, and she wanted to go home.

She had grabbed my arm when we were just close enough for Edward and his friends to hear us.

"Bella, I want to go home now!"

Without hesitating, I had replied. "Go then. I'm staying." It had been the first step toward the demise of our friendship.

When I'd turned back around toward my goal, he was looking right at me, and our eyes locked. His had darkened and the girl next to him leaned over to whisper something in his ear.

I don't know what she whispered, but it caused him to stand and walk up to me. When he was close enough for me to actually feel his body heat, my knees went weak, and he had to grab me so that I wouldn't fall to the floor. Everything about him so intoxicating, and my heart was already beating a mile a minute just because he saw me.

"Are you okay?" he had asked, and I silently nodded, too intimidated to talk. "Do you want to sit with us?"

My eyes had widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

He'd smiled in response. "Yeah."

I swallowed nervously but did my best to answer him as if it wasn't that big of a deal for me. "Um, sure. I'll sit with you."

Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders and introduced me to his friends, and that was where I stayed the rest of the night. Not once did Edward let go of me, and it was the best night I ever had in my life up until that point.

That was also the night I truly began to change from the girl I had been my entire life. The girls of Edward's group started to invite me to hang with them. I got to borrow their clothes and found I was comfortable with the style. We went to concerts and I started my own collection of band t-shirts, but despite all of those good times, I always got the feeling that there was one part of the group's activities that I wasn't allowed to join, and it always happened in the middle of the night.

At first, I'd been worried that my new friends were into drugs or something similar to that, but when rumors began to circulate in the city that they were an occult sect of some kind and that I was their newest member, I started to worry about something darker instead.

Edward had somehow sensed my fears and assured me that they weren't doing anything wrong and that one day I would be allowed to join, but not right now.

To this day, I had not been invited to whatever they were doing, but I was pretty sure Alice had, although she never spoke of it.

When I finally found my phone, I saw that I had a missed call from Edward, and I quickly composed a text to him.

" **Heard you were looking for me."**

It took only seconds for him to reply. _**"**_ _ **I was. I want to see you after class. Do you have time?"**_

" **For you? Always."**

Class dragged on, but eventually it ended and Alice and I walked to our lockers, which were conveniently close to each other. I had no idea how it had happened because I was sure a different girl used to have that locker, but one day, Alice simply placed her books inside it as if it had always been hers.

I did have the sneaking suspicion that Edward might have asked her to trade lockers to stay close to me because ever since he graduated two and a half years ago, he had somehow still known everything about my schedule, and Alice was the only insider with that information.

I didn't even have the time to open my locker before a pair of strong hands turned me around, and there he was; the center of my world and the guy I would do just about anything for.

Edward smiled widely and leaned down to kiss me. As always, it took my breath away, and my heart pumped frantically when he pressed the entire length of his body against mine.

When he released me, I could feel the heat of the flush on my cheeks and my entire body pulsed with desire. My feelings for him were so intense, they scared me sometimes.

I giggled and wound my arms around his neck. "You know you shouldn't be here. I was going to meet you outside."

"What's the fun in that? Besides, my Angel deserves that I break the rules on her birthday," he said with mischief gleaming in his eyes.

"If you're not careful, Banshee will have the security on your ass."

He shrugged with one shoulder as if it was nothing. "She could try, but as long as you attend this school, nothing can keep me away."

We kissed again, but then Edward shifted and held a plastic bag up to me. "I need you to hide this in your locker for me."

"What is it?" I asked and eyed the bag curiously.

"It's a gift for Jimmy, and I'm going to meet with him soon, so I can't have it with me."

I nodded. "Yeah, sure. Just put it in the back."

The bell rang for second period and I frowned. I didn't want to part with Edward already. He knew how I felt and we kissed one last time before Alice and I started down the hall.

Classes continued to drag on, but I endured them because school started only a month ago and I needed to graduate. Not because I was going to college; I was way too tired of school for that. No, Edward and I planned to travel across the country and just drive where the road took us, and I knew that my parents would never allow that unless I graduated.

When school finally ended, I was itching to get out of there, and I yawned as I exited the building.

Neither Mom or Dad was coming to pick me up, because even though they might not approve of me dating a twenty-one-year-old, they knew there was nothing that could physically keep me away from him. So it was agreed that I could spend time with Edward after school as long as my homework was done when I came home.

Edward was lounging on the hood of his car while he waited for me, and I knew that behind those sunglasses he was wearing, he was looking at the kids who passed him with amusement.

He had always had a dangerous aura around him and, as with Alice, it caused people to avoid getting too close. While I still felt the taste of danger when I was with him, I had gotten quite used to it because I knew that he would never let any harm come to me.

"Who are you waiting for, handsome?" I asked as I approached the car, and Edward turned his head and smiled widely when he saw me.

"Well, I was waiting for my girlfriend, but I'd ditch her for you if you want me to," he said and pulled down his sunglasses slightly so that I couldn't miss his wink.

"I don't know," I continued, keeping up the game. "Wouldn't she get very angry if you left her behind?" I smirked and placed both of my hands on the hood so that I was practically leaning over him.

"I'd just take cover behind you," he replied.

I laughed. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really." He grabbed the back of my neck and forcefully kissed me. I wasn't complaining.

A bout of giggles erupting behind us distracted me from my man's perfectly soft lips, and I leaned away from him so that I could look over my shoulder. As I suspected, the giggles were directed at us.

A group of girls that looked more like dolls than human beings stood close together behind a tree and whispered amongst themselves while continuously casting looks our way. It annoyed me to such a degree that I felt it in my entire body.

My breathing got labored and my eyes narrowed as I wished the girls would just disappear and leave us alone.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Edward's voice sounded far away as my annoyance built into anger and caused my blood to pump behind my ears. My hands, which I'd placed on Edward's shoulders when he pulled me toward him, tightened, but if I hurt him, he didn't say anything.

Suddenly, a thick branch cracked loudly above the girls' heads, which caused them to scream in fright and take several steps back. A very smart thing to do, because the branch fell down at the exact spot where they'd been standing seconds before.

Uneasiness replaced the anger inside of me because even though I had no idea how, I had the feeling that I had caused that branch to fall. Had the girls not moved, they could have been seriously injured.

"Whoa," I said under my breath, but I was brought out of my worried thoughts when I felt Edward's chest move up and down rapidly as he tried to hold back his laughter. I turned to look at him and frowned in question.

"That was probably the fastest those girls have run in their entire life," he said, and I gave him a weak, unsure laugh in response, just so that he wouldn't think I felt sorry for the girls.

"Yeah, I guess," I agreed, but my uneasiness did not let off. I got this weird aftertaste that made me certain I'd had something to do with the branch falling. The worst of it was that a part of me felt angry that the girls had moved out of the way.

I tried to swallow down the lump that was building in my throat and pulled away from Edward completely. He was frowning because he could read me better than anyone and he probably saw that I wasn't completely okay, but he remained silent and hopped down from the hood on the driver's side.

I felt very thankful when he changed the subject. "Is it okay for you to keep Jimmy's gift in your locker until Friday? We're having a party for him that night at my place."

I nodded. "Yeah, of course," I said and climbed into the passenger seat. "What are you giving him anyway? I never saw what it was."

Edward shrugged and started the car. It vibrated underneath me as he revved the engine to scare a few freshmen out of the way, and he chuckled when they scattered in every direction. "It's just something he wanted," he said.

"That's very nice of you."

"It's nothing, really." Edward waved away my compliment as if it made him uncomfortable. "Jimmy and I have known each other since we were both in diapers. We do this sort of thing all the time."

I decided to let it go because I saw how he was grinding his teeth, causing the muscles in his jaw to tense up. That was a sure sign that Edward was uncomfortable, although I couldn't understand why.

"So, what are we gonna do today?" I asked, and he immediately relaxed enough to give me one of his lopsided grins.

"Anything you want, Angel. It's your birthday, and the sky's the limit."

* * *

 **A/N:**

For those of you who have read BAOAT, you got a little background story here and I hope you enjoyed that.

For all of you who haven't read the aforementioned story, you don't really have to because the entire one-shot will be covered in this story, just a lot more spread out over the chapters with lots of details that were never mentioned before!

If you're very impatient, though, and want to know where this story is headed without waiting for the next chapter, the one-shot is available to be read!

As I said above, I don't know how things will look for me next week, but hopefully, I will be around to give you the next chapter!

Love you and see you all soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

Yes, I was able to update this week as well, and I truly hope the same will be possible next week, however, I am moving to a new town on Tuesday so I can't promise anything :)

So, most (not all) of the introductions are over, now let's get into the story for real!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 935

* * *

 **{Chapter 2}**

Next day at school, I did everything I could think of to stay awake. I was supporting my head on my hand, and I blinked so many times it must have looked as if I had something in my eyes.

I'd stayed out way too late last night. Edward had brought me back home around ten at first to satisfy my parents, but only half an hour later, I was escaping through my window to meet up with him again. I wasn't back home until four this morning.

I was certain my parents knew that we did this at least twice a week, but they didn't say anything about it as long as my homework was finished.

A huge yawn escaped me and caused my eyes to tear up, which in turn made me worry my makeup would smudge; a look that was not attractive on me at all. Some could rock lots of black around the entire eye, but I wasn't one of them.

I brought out my cellphone and used the camera to check, but I had barely gotten a real look before it was snatched right out of my hand.

"Hey!" I exclaimed and looked up to see my teacher looking down at me with angry eyes.

"I don't tolerate phones in my classroom, Miss Swan. This is the last time I say it. To the principal's office."

"But—"

"I don't want to hear it. Take your things with you."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, and it caused the other students to gasp and their eyes widened as they watched the scene with interest. They all wanted to know what the teacher would do next, but there was nothing he really could do, because he had already sent me to the principal.

The damage was already done, so after gathering my stuff and placing it in my book bag, as well as snatch back my phone, I mumbled out a "whatever" and left the room. The teacher was huffing and sputtering behind me as he tried to come up with something to give him the last word, but I was already gone.

I could admit that I hadn't made the situation better with my behavior, but it wasn't my fault that the teacher didn't listen.

It didn't take long before the principal called me inside her office, and I slumped down in one of the wooden chairs that was supposed to be "comfortable" compared to the plastic ones outside in the reception area.

"So, Isabella," Banshee started, and I hated that she thought it was okay for her to address me with my first name. As long as I was called "Miss Swan," I could handle it. "I was told you were acting out in class again. Care to tell me what it was about this time?"

I looked away from her. "Does it matter?"

Banshee sighed. "I don't know what to do with you anymore," she said with a tired voice. "The more I try, the more you resist. When are you going to understand that I only want to help you?"

I scoffed. "Yeah, right!" I gave her a amused look, but something caused her face to go completely blank before she frowned and leaned forward as if to study me closer. I recoiled from her gaze and crossed my arms defensively, and when she stood up and walked out of the office, I followed her with my eyes. I was very confused about what was going on and I tried to hear what she was telling the receptionist. I could only hear whispered mumbling, and then Banshee came back.

She sat down back behind her desk and clasped her hands together on top of it.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, Isabella?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. What's going on? What was that just now?"

Banshee sighed again, and the sound annoyed me to no end. "You know, I tolerate a lot at this school, but I have my limits as well. Unless you tell me the truth right now, you leave me without a choice. Have you eaten or drunk anything today that you didn't make yourself?"

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, and I told her that. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

She blinked and then grabbed her phone and began dialing. She was completely quiet as it rang and simply stared at me. The muffled sound of a man answering was all I heard, and Banshee's greeting caused my body to go ice-cold.

"Hello, Mr. Swan, this is Mrs. Greene. I'm calling about your daughter." I couldn't hear what my dad said, but I had a pretty good guess. "Yes, I have her here in my office, and I want both you and R—Mrs. Swan to come to school and discuss an urgent matter with me. I wouldn't ask you to if it wasn't important."

I hated that I wasn't let in on the secret that was this entire situation, and I itched to contact Edward, but I was sure something like that wouldn't be in my favor, so I remained quietly in my seat.

"Perfect, we'll be waiting right here."

She hung up and turned back to me. "Your parents will be here in thirty minutes."

"And will you tell me why you called them?" I asked and smiled tightly. I also matched her tone and the way she spoke to mock her subtly.

"I need to talk to them because I'm concerned about you, Isabella. It seems you keep making bad choices that will affect your life in the long run. I know you have potential. You're a great student, but your attitude keeps getting you into trouble."

I scowled at her because she had no right to speak like this. She didn't know what my life was like. It wasn't like she was my mom.

"I'm not saying this to be mean. I only want what's best for you," she continued, but at this point, I had stopped listening.

Suddenly, the door behind us opened and the school security guard came in with an officer in tow. I was terrified that I was about to be arrested for something I had no idea about.

It felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over me then. Was it possible that the girls from yesterday suspected I had something to do with that branch falling? Was I going to be arrested for attempted murder even though it was unintentional? Did they have proof I didn't know about?

That was when I saw what the officer held in his hand, and I became furious instead.

"You went through my locker?" I exclaimed, and Banshee flinched. In the officer's hand was Edward's bag with Jimmy's gift in it. "You can't do that! Isn't that illegal?"

The three ignored me and the officer proceeded to show what he had found. It caused Banshee to gasp and then shake her head disappointingly. "Do you confess that this bag was in your locker, Isabella?"

"Yeah, so?"

Banshee nodded for the two men to leave the office and close the door. "Firstly," she began when we were alone again. "I ordered a locker search because I suspected that you were under the influence of something when you came in here. If I suspect illegal substances in my school, I have the right to order such searches."

"I wasn't under the influence of anything!" I yelled at her. "Why did you think I was?"

"Your eyes are red and watery, and your behavior is more aggressive than I've ever seen it before. I didn't have a choice. Secondly, not only are you a minor, but under what circumstances did you think it would be okay for you to store a weapon on school property?"

My eyes widened. "A what?"

She reached into the bag and pulled out a beautifully ornate, yet scary-looking dagger. A part of me wanted to scream out and say that it wasn't mine, but I didn't want to sell Edward out, so I slumped back against the backrest. I pretended as if the sight of the knife didn't surprise me, but I had to hide the tremble of my hands by crossing my arms.

She didn't try to get anything else out of me until my parents came rushing into the reception area. Banshee stood up and gestured for them to come inside. "Isabella, I want to talk to them alone, so you can go sit outside while you wait for them."

I rolled my eyes and left the office. My eyes met my dad's and while his "public mask" was in place, I could see the fury blazing in his eyes. I knew I was in heaps of trouble, and all I wanted was to get a hold of Edward and ask him about the knife.

The walls of the principal's office weren't very thick and I heard everything that was said in there. It started with why she had called them there, and then she went on about my behavior and what they had found in my locker.

"This has been going on for too long. One more mishap like this, and I will have no choice but to suspend her."

"She's only acting out. Bella is a good person. She's just a little lost," Mom insisted.

"Maybe, but her behavior is affecting the other students. You need to solve these issues now."

"We understand. We will talk with her immediately."

I rolled my eyes and slouched deeper into the uncomfortable blue plastic chair. My parents came through the door, and Dad tried to give me the I-am-very-disappointed-in-you-young-lady-look, but I wasn't falling for it. He only gave me that look to give the illusion of being a good parent and that he would only talk some sense into me. Not likely, though. Our fights never went anywhere and all we did was scream at each other.

They took turns shaking Banshee's hand and then Mom walked up to me and crouched down so that she could look into my eyes. "Bella, what's going on with you?"

I rolled my eyes again and turned my head away from her.

Dad wasn't in the mood to play nice and grabbed my upper arm hard to pull me up from the chair.

"Charles, don't!" Mom cried out, but he didn't care. He was livid.

"What the hell, Isabella Marie! Where did you get the dagger from, and why did you bring it to school?" he asked through clenched teeth.

I pulled my arm out of his grip and glared at him. "Don't fucking touch me!"

"Answer my question."

I crossed my arms and cocked my head defiantly. "Why do you care?"

Mom stepped in between us. "Not here! We'll take this at home." She looked around and smiled apologetically toward the receptionist, who was looking at the scene in front of her.

"Take a picture. It will last longer," I told her, but before I could see her reaction, I was pushed out of the office and toward the parking lot.

I walked angrily behind my parents with my arms still crossed and glared at their necks as they made their way to where they had parked their car.

"What are we going to do with you, Bella?" Mom mused to herself, and I didn't feel she was entitled to an answer, so I remained silent. When we reached the car, I refused to enter it immediately, and while Dad sat behind the wheel and tried to control his anger, Mom sighed and rolled her window down.

"Just get in the car."

I broke eye contact with her and looked down at my black boots and still refused to make a move.

"Please, Bella. We'll talk at home."

With an exasperated exhale, I flung the door of the backseat open and ducked inside. Dad didn't waste any time and drove off of the school premises as soon as the door was closed.

"I don't understand, honey. Why did you think it was a good idea to bring a dagger to school?" Mom asked, but I was sulking and didn't feel like answering. "Bella, answer me," she said sternly.

"Because I just did, okay!" I cried out and then continued quietly to myself, "It wasn't even mine."

"What was that?" Dad asked, but since he wasn't my favorite person in the world at the moment, I only glared at his neck.

"Nothing," I said and started to dig in my bag for my headphones. I'd had enough of them for the rest of the ride home.

"It's time to grow up, Isabella. You're eighteen, and when school ends, there will be responsibilities waiting for you," he continued.

"Sure," I answered noncommittally and proceeded to shut them out with music by my favorite band.

I looked out of the window at the sky, which was beginning to go gray, and small droplets of water splashed on the glass.

When Dad stopped by a red light, a familiar car pulled up in the lane next to us and my eyes met Edward's. He smiled his beautiful smile and nodded toward the seat next to him.

I silently asked what he meant with my eyes and in reply I got a wink. I understood then, and I also knew that I had to be really quick if it would work. I cast a small glance at my parents and neither of them had noticed anything yet, and so as fast as I possibly could, I threw the car door open and bolted outside.

"Bella?" I heard Mom ask, and a second later Dad yelled as well, but I had already rounded the car that was my destination, and the door of the passenger side was already open for me.

"Isabella, come back here this instant or you will regret it!"

I locked eyes with my dad for a second, and he seemed to dare me to enter the car, which I did without hesitating. As soon as the door closed, the lights switched to green and we sped away from there.

I threw my head back and laughed, rejoicing in my short and temporary freedom. I would still have to go home sometime tonight and meet my parents' wrath, but that was a problem for later.

When I couldn't see them in the rearview mirror any longer, I looked at Edward and the desire I always felt around him flared up.

"Thank you for saving me back there," I said gratefully and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, but he turned his head and took possession of my mouth for a few short seconds before releasing me to concentrate on the road again.

"No problem. I figured you needed it when I saw your parents' car in the parking lot. What did you do this time, Angel?"

"What did _I_ do?" I asked him as the fear I felt for the dagger they'd found resurfaced. "Why the hell are you giving a freaking dagger to Jimmy, and why did you ask me to store it in my locker?"

Edward shrugged. "I told you it was something Jimmy wanted."

"Yeah, but you could have warned me that it was a deadly weapon," I continued, not feeling reassured at all.

He chuckled. "He doesn't plan to go out and stab people with it, Angel. It's ornamental, so relax."

"It didn't look ornamental to me," I mumbled, but I had already forgiven him. "Besides, you know Banshee's been after me ever since I started in this stupid school. You must have known she'd find it."

"I guess I was hoping you'd behave yourself for a week at least," he joked.

I looked down at my hands and started to rub them against each other agitatedly. "She threatened to throw me out of school. If she succeeds with finding enough dirt on me, I won't be allowed to graduate next year."

"Angel, it's only a month since you started your senior year. Do you really think you need to worry about that now?" He turned his head and looked at me with those mesmerizing eyes of his, and I instantly calmed down.

I smiled and sunk deeper into the comfy leather seat. "You're right," I agreed. Edward always had the ability to calm me down, and I closed my eyes as he drove us to what I assumed was our favorite spot—a secluded part of the local park. We always went there after school because we were never disturbed.

Edward turned off the engine before he turned to me. "Now that there's no risk for traffic accidents, I'd better get a proper hello and thank you," he said with a smirk.

I giggled and once again leaned forward to kiss him, and our lips joined in a passionate lip-lock that made my toes curl and my temperature rise.

One of Edward's hands snaked around my waist and the other loosely gripped around my throat to hold me in place, and my own went to his hair and grabbed fistfuls of his beautiful dark strands.

The short seconds we parted, our breaths mixed in the space between us, but we were in a very uncomfortable position.

"Edward, I—" I started, but his groan interrupted me. Our foreheads were still touching and our panting breaths were loud inside the confined space of the car.

"I know, you're not ready," he said quietly before he released me and leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. He was taking deep breaths through his nose to calm down, and the bulge in his jeans told me why.

I didn't want him to calm down though. I was ready to give myself to him, and I hoped the mood wasn't ruined now. "Edward, I'm ready," I said, and his head whipped around toward me so fast I feared he would get whiplash. I just had to smile at his shocked expression. "I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I never got the opportunity." I laughed quietly, and Edward's hand slowly came up to cup my cheek.

"Are you serious?"

I nodded, and Edward immediately began looking around for a solution that would work. He met my eyes and cocked his eyebrow. "Backseat's okay? It's a bit cold outside."

I smirked and gave him another kiss. "Backseat's perfect." My door was already opened before the sentence was completely out of my mouth, and Edward wasn't slow to follow.

Our kisses in the backseat were more frenzied than before, and I realized that it was because Edward had been holding back before. He knew that I hadn't been ready, but now it was different. I wanted him so much, and knowing that he wanted me too turned me on to no end.

I felt so thankful when Edward helped me to shed my clothes because there was heat everywhere and it all seemed to emanate from Edward's mouth and skin. I didn't feel nervous at all to be with him despite the fact that I was a virgin. I had complete faith in Edward, and I knew that there was a chance it might hurt, but I was too aroused to care about a few seconds of pain when I knew I would feel so much pleasure by just being connected with this man that I loved so much.

With slight difficulty, Edward slid me underneath his own body so that I was lying down across the entire backseat. While we had touched each other, pretty much all over, our clothes had always remained on, so this was new ground for us.

He looked into my eyes and smirked before he unclasped my bra, exposing my breasts in all their glory, and without hesitation, he covered my nipple with his hot mouth. It felt so good to feel it on my bare skin, and I arched into the sensation, wanting more.

I slid my hands underneath his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, demanding he show me more of himself. As soon as his torso was exposed, my eyes zeroed in on a tattoo of an inverted five-pointed star inside of a ring right over his heart, something I'd never seen before, and it caused me to stop.

"When did you get that?" I asked, and Edward froze his movements and looked down at the tattoo in question.

"I had it done two weeks ago. Why?"

I frowned. "I've just never seen it before, and it looks older than two weeks." In fact, it looked like it was years old and had always been a part of his skin.

He smirked at me. "I heal fast, but does it really matter? Weren't we in the middle of something more important?" He rolled his hips slowly against me, and a low moan erupted from my throat. The tattoo was immediately forgotten.

When the last of our clothes had been removed, and Edward started to part my legs so that he could settle between them, I suddenly got a strange feeling that I shouldn't do this, and not because I didn't want to. It was more as if there was some outer force that told me it was too dangerous. It shook me up a bit, and I instinctively closed my legs a little bit.

Edward noticed it, of course. "What's wrong?" he asked, but the feeling had gone away as suddenly as it had appeared and was replaced with a different feeling; one that told me this was exactly right.

I shook my head to clear it and looked into Edward's eyes. "Nothing," I assured. He stroked my cheek softly and then pushed my legs apart again. With determined movements, he lined himself up before pushing inside agonizingly slow. "Please, go faster," I moaned, and he complied with one quick thrust.

It felt somewhat uncomfortable for a few seconds, but once I had adjusted to the intrusion of having him inside of me, a radiating warmth flowed through my body, but there was something else there, something dark, and it grew in size.

A part of me wanted to fight that feeling, but the other part embraced it, and that was the part I decided to listen to this time because there was not a chance in hell I would stop this now. It felt too good, and I had waited for so long.

Our bodies became slick with sweat and the sound of our hips coming together rhythmically resounded through the small space of the car.

Edward pulled my hands above my head, interlaced our fingers and started to kiss my throat and collarbone.

All the sensations became too much for me, and I cried out. His thrusts became jerkier before he stilled and groaned deeply.

We hadn't used a condom, and I could feel his release inside of me. It made me feel like a part of him, and I relished the feeling.

Edward tucked me underneath his arm and I had my head on his chest while he stroked my hair. I felt so utterly safe and protected in his arms.

"Your parents are going to kill me when they realize I've corrupted the last pure thing in you," Edward said and chuckled.

I smiled against his skin. "I'd like to see them try. They'd have to go through me first."

* * *

 **A/N:**

What did you think of that, huh? And I would love to hear your theories about what that feeling Bella had was! ;-)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

Hey guys! I know I'm late and I'm so sorry, but it is what it is with my move and everything, and I only have access to my small notebook computer which I absolutely hate to sit and write on, but I give you this chapter now and I hope the drama in it help you to forgive me

Story plot becomes more clear in this chapter ;-)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 963

* * *

 **{Chapter 3}**

Edward drove me home when it got dark, but when I saw that the lights were still on in the house, I felt reluctant to get out of the car. I knew that the fight I anticipated would be of epic proportions, and I also wasn't all too willing to be separated from Edward after our afternoon.

Still, I got out with a deep sigh, but procrastinated by rounding the car so that I was standing outside Edward's side. His window was rolled down, and I leaned forward to give him one last kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said with a grin when we parted.

"It's not soon enough," I replied, and it caused him to chuckle.

"I know." His grin fell and was replaced with a passionate look. "I love you, Angel," he said, and then revved the engine and drove away. I felt confused at his sudden departure. He had never left before I could reply in the past.

The flutter of the living room curtains caught the corner of my eye, and I knew I couldn't stall anymore. My parents knew I was home, and I had no choice but to go inside now.

I took one last deep breath to give myself some strength, and then started for the front door, which opened before I had put a foot on the first porch step.

In the doorway, Mom and Dad stood close to each other, but weren't really touching, and their expressions were surprisingly neutral. I had expected unspeakable wrath from both of them, but they didn't even appear angry.

"Isabella, join us in the living room," Dad ordered in an unusually calm voice.

My suspicion skyrocketed, but I nodded anyway and followed them inside. Something was off. I could feel it in the air.

As I entered the living room, I noticed that Mom's wooden chest had been opened and the contents puzzled me. I had always believed it was filled with memorabilia and heirlooms—when I was just a kid, I had imagined it to be the entrance to a fairy tale world—but now I saw stacks of thick, leather-bound volumes, candles of all shapes and sizes, empty glass bottles, and vials filled with colored liquids. What freaked me out the most, though, were the two very sharp daggers that were attached to the lid. They were glinting in the dim light of the room, and a surge of fear went through me when I wondered what was going on, and what my parents had planned with that chest.

"Honey?" Mom said and I looked over at her with wide eyes. "Come and sit." She patted the seat on our plush gray couch next to her, and I slowly did what she said.

"What's going on?" I asked, and the slight tremor in my voice revealed how worried I felt. They were both just so serious, and my eyes continually went back to the chest. "What's with the chest?"

Mom looked down at her hands. "Charlie and I have something to tell you, and we need you to enter this conversation with an open mind. It won't be easy for you to hear, but it's time."

I frowned and felt my pulse quicken. "What are you talking about?"

She looked back up at me. "I am talking about you and your destiny."

"My destiny?" I asked, and I was even more confused then I'd been the second before. "What destiny? To graduate from my own personal hell on earth?" My attempt at a joke fell flat, and I looked between my parents. I didn't understand what Mom was saying at all.

She shook her head. "No, it's something quite different from that." She turned and looked at Dad, but all he did was nod with the same serious expression as she wore.

"Honey," Mom started again. "Firstly, you need to know that your father and I..." She struggled with the words and appeared to be rather distressed. "We, uh … we're not your birth parents."

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"

Mom grabbed my hands in hers and squeezed, but I was too stunned to react. "We were assigned to raise you when your biological parents died. You were just a baby when it happened, and it was agreed that you needed to grow up in a safe home so that when the time came, the choice you have to make would be less difficult."

I stared at Mom and couldn't comprehend what she was babbling about. "I don't understand. What _choice_?" I was slowly getting angry, like I always did when there was something that was disconcerting me. "What do you mean _'assigned?'_ What the fuck are you talking about? _You_ are my parents," I exclaimed as my voice built in volume in time with my growing anger.

Dad shook his head, and my eyes flew to him. "No, we're not. We're your Protectors."

"What?"

Mom sighed. "Charlie, how are we going to explain it? She's so young still. Will she be able to handle it?"

"She has to. We only have six and a half weeks until she _has_ to be ready."

"Ready for what?" I still felt very angry, and it didn't help that they talked about me as if I wasn't there, but my anger was slowly withdrawing and gave room for panic to grow instead.

Dad met my eyes steadily, but the longer he waited to answer me, the more blurry he became, and I realized it was because my eyes had teared up. It was what always happened to me before I had a panic attack.

"To choose between good and evil," he finally said, and I was shocked into silence for a few seconds. When I felt my voice coming back to me I couldn't help the laugh that erupted.

"Okay, how many glasses of wine did you drink after dinner?" I asked with my laughter still evident in my voice, but the tears in my eyes remained because I was still terrified.

"He's not making a joke, Bella," Mom said, and I stood up from the couch and began pacing in front of them when my distress became too much for me to sit still anymore.

"Yes, he is, because if he's not, that means he's serious, and I don't know how to handle that." My laughter faded and my breathing became irregular as I stared at Dad. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you descend from two long lines of powerful Witches."

I stopped my pacing and alternated between looking at Dad and looking at Mom. Neither of them appeared to be joking, and it caused me to explode.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? Are you crazy?" I screamed at them. "How can you say something like that?"

Dad didn't even blink as I screamed at him, and he remained uncharacteristically calm. "Because it's the truth, Isabella. Your birth parents were Witches, and you are one as well. It was time for you to find out."

He was slowly blurring out of sight, and I bent over and gasped for breath. My hands were clutching at my chest, and I tried to get as much air down my lungs as black spots began to appear in my vision. I knew I was hyperventilating, and that it didn't help the panic attack, but I couldn't calm down and control it. In just a few seconds, I would pass out.

Suddenly, Mom stood next to me with a paper bag in her hand that she handed to me. "Here," she said. "Just take slow and easy breaths."

I placed the bag over my mouth and did as she told me, and she continued to calm me down by stroking my back.

Eventually, my heart rate slowed down, and the black spots disappeared, but the feelings remained.

I was sitting on the couch again, leaning against Mom's shoulder, but I had no memory of her leading me there. Dad wasn't in the room anymore, and I wondered where he had gone.

"I don't believe you," I said, but Mom only answered by stroking my hair away from my face and humming a melody that echoed vague familiarity in my head. "That song … I recognize it," I mumbled.

"It's the lullaby your mother used to sing to you when you cried as a baby," she replied, and I froze up.

"Stop that! _You_ are my mother!"

My tears started to fall from my eyes and Mom looked at me sympathetically and wiped them away with her fingers. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm not. Only on a spiritual level, and you need to accept that in order to embrace your destiny."

I hit her hand away from my face. I didn't want her to touch me anymore because it hurt too much. "I don't want my stupid destiny if it means I have to lose you!"

"You won't lose me, Bella," she said reassuringly. "I will always be here for you."

I couldn't stop crying, and Mom opened up her arms for me. At that moment, I didn't care about the million fights we'd had over the years, I just had to be close to her and feel her comforting warmth, so I crawled up beside her and let her hug me to her chest like she had done so many times when I was younger.

"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked against the skin of her throat.

"Because it was decided that you had to know after you'd turned eighteen. If your parents had been alive today, you probably would have found out sooner."

I sniffled and tried to calm down, but it took a long time for me to get my breath back to normal.

"What happened to them?" There were a gazillion questions in my head, but that was one of the things I had to know now. Why did they die?

"Do you really want to know? Do you think you can handle it?"

I shrugged. "Maybe not, but I have to know."

Mom sighed. "They were killed by Evil Witches who were after you."

I straightened up and frowned. "Me? Why did they want me? You said I was just a baby when they died."

Mom nodded. "Yes, but you see, there's this centuries-old prophecy about a double blessed baby descended from two powerful families that was to be born in the middle of the harvest moon cycle. This baby would become one of the most powerful Witches our world has ever seen. However, the powers would be so great that it couldn't be determined if they would be claimed for good or for evil. That choice would be up to the baby after maturity had been reached and it was all to take place on Samhain after its eighteenth year."

"What is Samhain?"

Mom smiled. "It's the original name for Halloween. That holiday is about so much more than trick-or-treating and collecting candy in plastic jack-o-lantern or pumpkin buckets. For Witches, it's the most sacred holiday of all because the barrier between our world and the spirit world is at its weakest, and it makes it possible to tap into the power and knowledge of our ancestors."

I was fascinated by what she told me, and wondered briefly if this was the reason why I was so in love with Halloween. I could remember how a former friend from elementary school had once asked me why I was always so excited for Halloween, but I had never been able to explain it.

"And the baby in the prophecy?" I asked carefully with a building feeling of unease. I already knew what she was saying, but I was still clutching at any straw of grass at that point.

Mom stroke my cheek lovingly. "Bella, you are the baby in the prophecy. That was why they wanted you. They killed your parents in hopes of taking you with them and raising you in evil. They didn't expect you to have such fierce protection spells cast around you, and before they figured out how to get to you, Charlie and I stopped them," she finished, and I felt oddly drained.

"And now you've raised me to choose good instead of evil," I stated. "Didn't the prophecy say that it was a choice I had to make?"

Mom nodded. "Yes, it is, which is why Charlie and I haven't raised you in either good or evil."

I felt so confused already, but I had to ask anyway. "What do you mean? You took me from Evil, so you must be Good, right?"

"Well, that's another thing you need to know. Charlie and I aren't really married. Both of us are Witches of the Old, which means we are Originals. We have retired our powers and ceased to age in order to direct and protect Witches new to the craft. Charlie is an Evil Original and I am a Good, which was why it was decided that we would raise you on neutral grounds until you came of age. We haven't inclined you in either way. The choice of which side you'll take still lies with you."

"So Dad is actually evil? Like, for real, evil?" I asked, and Mom smiled a small smile.

"We don't have our powers anymore, but our inclination doesn't depend on what kind of magic we perform. It's the core of who we are as people and Witches. Charlie is evil, but I can assure you that everything he has done toward you has been for your protection only."

I had so many questions, and I couldn't decide on where to begin. I wasn't ready to go deeper into the conversation about my destiny, and therefore, I opted for finding out more about the people I had always seen as my parents.

"What does it mean that you are Originals?"

Mom stood up and chose a book from the chest. When she came back, she placed it in my lap, and I traced the beautifully golden ornate cover with my finger. "This book is the history of Witches. It explains everything, but I will tell you anyway. Being an Original means that my coven, as well as Charlie's, were one of the very few covens that existed in the beginning. We came to be at the same time as the first humans."

My eyebrows shot into my hairline. "Wow, you must be very old," I burst out without thinking, and when I realized what I'd said, I placed my hand over my mouth.

Mom laughed at me, and I was relieved to see that she wasn't offended by my careless comment. "Yes, we've lived many lifetimes alongside many Witches across the world."

"Did you know each other from the beginning?" I was so curious to find out the truth to how my parents had met, since what they had told me before was a huge lie.

"We knew _of_ each other, but Good Witches and Evil Witches usually stay separated. Our values clash too much," she replied and winked.

I giggled, and the realization that I was having a good time with my mom made me smile even wider. It was such a rare occurrence. "Are your names really Charlie and Reneé?"

She shook her head. "No. It's the names we chose for this century. Our real names are not possible to pronounce in any modern day tongue."

There was a silence that stretched between us for a couple of minutes as I knew that she was waiting for me to ask her more about the prophecy and my destiny, and I knew I couldn't stall any longer.

"What will happen after I've chosen?" I asked, but I felt scared to know the answer.

Mom cocked her head to the side and gazed at me tenderly. "It depends on which side you choose. Either way, you will become a leader, and those underneath you will follow the new order of life."

I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them tighter. "I'm not much of a leader," I mumbled quietly, but she heard me.

"I believe you have many qualities inside of you that are just waiting to come out. Don't doubt yourself, honey. You're destined for great things."

I decided to let that go, because she didn't understand. I had never been a leader, and I never could be. I was a follower. I needed guidance, and without it, I was lost. What kind of leader could I ever be if I couldn't lead?

"Were my parents good or evil?" There was no end to my questions, and this one I felt could possibly help me with the choice I had to make in only six weeks.

Mom shook her head. "I'm not allowed to say. It can affect your choice too much. It has to be your choice alone."

I threw my arms into the air in frustration and glared at her. "And how exactly am I supposed to choose?"

She gestured to the wooden chest. "The chest belonged to your parents. It has been passed down through generations in your family, and now it belongs to you. In it, you'll find everything you need for rituals, spells, potions, a few crystals, and of course, the daggers. From this night and up until Samhain, Charlie and I are going to teach you everything about the craft. When the night is upon us, hopefully, you will feel where your heart lies."

"Hopefully," I mumbled, and then a thought occurred to me. "By the way, where is Dad?"

"He felt that I would be able to explain this to you in the best way. He became too impatient when you almost fainted, but you know how he is."

I rolled my eyes at that. It was classic my dad, and it felt good to know now that he was that cold because he was legit evil.

I thought back on my day and couldn't help but to laugh. It was surreal. I had been threatened with suspension, given my virginity to my boyfriend in the backseat of his car, and found out I was adopted and a Witch. I couldn't exactly say that happened every day in a teenager's life.

"What's funny?" Mom asked.

"This day started out so very normal, and now all of a sudden, everything's changed. It's a lot to take in, but I guess I always sensed I was different." The truth rang strong in my words as soon as I said them. I had never truly fit in anywhere until I found Edward and his friends, and even then I had felt slightly out of place. Not as much as usual, but there was still a lingering feeling of it.

Mom nodded. "Yeah, and about that, there's one more thing, and I know you won't like it."

I was instantly on guard and waited for what she would say.

"I'm afraid you have to stop seeing Edward for a while."

I blanched. "Excuse me, what?" I asked for confirmation even though I'd heard exactly what she said.

"I'm sorry, honey, but you have so much to learn and six weeks isn't very long. You can't afford any distractions at all during this time. Charlie is going to call Mrs. Greene tomorrow and pull you out of school, and we'll move to the summer cabin where you can practice uninterrupted."

"You mean I am going to be stuck in the cabin for six weeks without friends and no boyfriend? That's crazy! I can't just abandon everyone! They'll wonder where I am," I insisted.

Mom shrugged. "I'm sorry, but it's the way it has to be."

"No!" I disagreed. "I won't do that, and especially not toward Edward. Not after tonight," I blurted out, again without thinking.

Mom frowned. "What was so special about tonight?"

I bit my tongue and just gaped at her. It didn't matter that I'd just found out she was more my mentor than my mother, it was still awkward to tell her about what I'd done intimately with my boyfriend. "Uh..." I just couldn't get the words out.

"Bella, it's me. You can tell me anything."

I hesitated but decided to just do it. How angry could she really become over something so simple as the fact that I wasn't a virgin anymore? "I gave myself to Edward."

Mom's eyes widened. "You did what?"

"I slept with Edward."

"Did you use protection?"

I felt a bit confused, because while I understood her concern, I can't say that was the first question I expected to get from her after my revelation. "Um, why?"

"Just answer me."

I swallowed as I suddenly felt very ashamed. "No, we didn't. It wasn't planned. It just sort of happened."

I saw anger in Mom's eyes, but it wasn't directed toward me. She stood up and walked to the base of the stairs while mumbling something that sounded like: "Not planned, my ass." I had never heard her curse like that before, so I thought I must have imagined it.

"Charles! Come down here this very second," she yelled, and it was obvious she meant business.

Dad descended the stairs intentionally slow. "What are you screaming for, Renee?"

"Oh, I don't know," she replied sarcastically. "How about I just found out that one of yours has tainted Bella."

Dad looked skeptical. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Edward."

As soon as I heard his name, I stood up and walked up to my parents. "Look, he didn't taint me," I tried. "It was consensual. It was I who initiated it."

"Are you saying that you had unprotected sex with Edward tonight?" Dad asked, and it felt creepily strange that his reaction was actually amused. Not at all what you expected from your father.

"Yes," I simply answered and the smirk I'd seen the hint of broke out on his face.

"Well, I didn't think that boy had it in him," he said and sat down in his chair.

"This is not funny, Charlie! You know what this means!" Mom continued to scream.

"Just chill, Renee. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Mom refused to calm down. "For you it will because that boy has made her more inclined to evil now! I tolerated it with her friends because they never did anything, but Edward went too far!"

I didn't understand what they were talking about at all, but it was starting to freak me out. "What the hell are you talking about?" I asked as calmly as I could, and both of them turned to me. "How can I be more inclined toward evil by sleeping with Edward?"

Mom sighed. "Bella, I didn't want to have to tell you this, but after what you just told me, I have no choice." She paused to grab both of my hands in hers and squeezed them lovingly, but this time I pulled away from her. I didn't like what she was saying, and until she told me the truth, I wasn't going to play nice and pretend it didn't bother me that she talked about my boyfriend like that.

"Edward is an Evil Witch. By having unprotected sex with him tonight, you made yourself vulnerable, and when the act was completed, he released dark magic inside you. Not much, but enough for your choice to be swayed."

I stopped her right there. "Hold on. Did you just say that Edward's an Evil Witch?"

She nodded. "Yes."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Some of you thought that Edward was the devil after the last chapter, and I guess I can't blame you for coming to that conclusion. Actually it thrilled me because it told me I've done a good job at making him appear evil.

For those of you who have not read Battle As Old As Time, was this something you expected or were you taken by surprise? Let me know! I love hearing your thoughts


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

Hey guys! I've struggled with pain in my stomach for the last 3 days, and while I know this chapter is a day late, I'm forcing myself to sit up and give this to you before I lie back down in bed and feel sorry for myself and moaning about the ache that just won't go away...

I don't know what's causing it, but if it's not better tomorrow, I'm going to the hospital to check it out!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 491

* * *

 **{Chapter 4}**

I looked over at Dad and hoped that he would laugh and tell me that Mom was lying, but he didn't. He only shrugged, and a sudden dryness in my mouth had me swallowing repeatedly.

My throat constricted and I had to gasp for air again. "But how? I don't—I mean, he's … and I … but we..." I couldn't form a real sentence, and my thoughts were just as jumbled up. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

Mom placed her hands on my upper arms and rubbed them up and down, but the heat created by the friction did nothing for the cold I felt inside. "I know it's difficult to hear, and as I said, I didn't want to tell you because I know how you feel about him, but after this betrayal, I had no choice."

I didn't want to hear it. If I thought that it had been too much for me to grasp that I was a Witch myself, it was nothing compared to how I felt right now. I started to cry silently, but my tears had no effect on Dad. He snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, Renee! You're taking it a bit too far by labeling it as a betrayal. The other Witches didn't make the same promise that the Originals did. I'm positive that if Edward had been a Good Witch, he would have done the same thing then as well."

Mom twirled around on the spot and glared at Dad. "No, he wouldn't because Good Witches don't commit such dishonest actions. They may not have given the same promise you and I made, but the prophecy clearly says that Bella has to choose for herself without outer influences. Good Witches have honored it, so why can't Evil Witches do the same?"

Dad rolled his eyes again and laughed. "Because they're evil," he said as if it was the most obvious thing, and I guess for him, it was.

My tears refused to stop falling because I suddenly felt very insecure about everything. Were Edward's feelings for me true? Did he ever mean a single word that came out of his mouth? Or was it all a plot from the very beginning?

"Has Edward always known who I am?" I asked in a small voice that barely carried, and my tears didn't exactly help.

"Probably," Dad answered. "Witches recognize each other by their powers. It's an air around them that has a certain taste to it. Edward must have sensed that you are an Undecided, and since you are the only Undecided alive at the moment, it can't have been too hard for him to figure it out."

I thought about the aura of danger I'd felt around Edward from the beginning—a taste I still felt—but I had always explained it as part of his image. Apparently, it was deeper than that.

A bitter taste erupted on my tongue, and I knew it was the taste of betrayal. I wiped away the tears from my cheeks, but they were soon replaced by more. "So he _has_ been manipulating me this entire time?"

Dad shrugged as if none of this was of a particularly big deal. "Depends on how you look at it. Evil Witches can only manipulate those with evil already residing in them. It's the way we keep balance in the world; to only have control over the equal-minded. He wouldn't have been able to get as far as he has if you hadn't let him."

I believe Dad's words were meant to soothe, but they did nothing for me. "But now when I have his dark magic inside me, won't it be easier for him, then?"

"A little bit, yeah."

I turned to Mom. "Is that why I need to break up with him?"

"I never said that you have to break up with him," Mom said. "You just have to keep your distance for the upcoming six weeks. Once you've chosen, the answer will be inside you."

I felt very down, all of a sudden, and nodded forlornly. I was exhausted and my body was still aching after my afternoon with my, apparently, evil boyfriend. It was a reminder I could have done without, at the moment.

"I think I need to go to bed," I said tiredly, and both of them agreed. I started up the stairs, but Dad stopped me.

"You should pack before you go to sleep. We'll leave for the cabin before lunch tomorrow, so you'd better be ready by then," he threatened mildly.

I nodded and smiled weakly. Whatever had changed in my life tonight, my parents still pretty much remained the same. I just had to wrap my head around the fact that they weren't truly my parents.

Once in my room, I closed the door and threw myself backward on my bed. My body bounced up and down with the mattress slightly as I stared at the ceiling. It didn't give me any answers, but I continued to stare at it as if the solution to everything would come dimpling down if I focused hard enough.

"Hey, are you all right?" I heard from the window, and I had to hold in the scream that threatened to bubble up before I saw that it was Edward. He was just climbing through as if nothing had changed, but then again, he didn't know I had just found out that both of us were Witches.

I sat up and turned away from him. "What are you doing here?" I asked with the hurt I felt all too evident in my voice. I couldn't understand how he could have manipulated me so thoroughly without blinking. I thought he loved me as much as I loved him.

Edward sat down next to me and leaned in for a kiss, but I pulled away, and it caused him to frown. "I didn't want to be away from you. I couldn't wait 'til tomorrow," he said softly, and normally, words like that would have melted me, and I would have done whatever he wanted to, but I was starting to feel pissed off.

How dare he play so innocent? He must have known that I would find out eventually, and what then? Or had he hoped to have gotten enough dark magic inside me so that when the time came, I wouldn't care anymore?

I stood up and walked to my vanity without even looking at him. I grabbed my hairbrush and started to go through the tangles of the day. They were worse than normal because of our afternoon in Edward's car.

"Angel, what's wrong? Did something happen?" he asked. His voice was filled with concern, but I couldn't trust that it was real, so I gave him the silent treatment and continued to ignore him and brushing my hair.

He walked up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders before tracing down my bare arms with his fingertips. Goosebumps appeared on my skin, and when he leaned in to nuzzle my neck, I shivered violently. He knew exactly how that always caused tingles all over my body, and I realized that he was manipulating me again, so that I would forget my anger and forgive him.

"Is this about this afternoon? Do you regret it?" he whispered, and I felt his warm, moist breath against my ear. He placed a light kiss right behind it, and my anger seemed to just melt away as my eyes closed on their own accord. It didn't help that I knew what he was doing. My breathing still picked up and my brush fell from my grip. Everything he did to me just felt too good.

"Stop," I whimpered weakly.

He didn't and used his nose to trace my jawline. "What was that, Angel?" His hands traced over my back and encircled my waist before one hand started to fiddle with the button in my skirt.

"Please, stop," I tried again, but my resolve was weak. A part of me badly wanted him to continue, but I was unsure if it was because _I_ wanted it or if he was controlling me.

"Why?" he asked softly. "I can feel that you want to. You're practically shaking with desire." When my skirt was opened, he touched the skin on my stomach, just above the line of my underwear, with the tip of his index finger.

It was when he made the move to go inside the lace that the fog in my head dissipated. With strength I never knew I had, I pulled his hands away from me and I used my body to push him backward and away.

The action must have shocked him because he stumbled and fell back onto my bed. "Bella?" he asked, bewildered, but I wasn't accepting his act any longer.

"Oh, just drop the act, Edward," I said harshly and re-buttoned my skirt. "Stop pretending, okay! I _know_." I stood in front of him with my hands on my hips and stared him down.

"You know what?" he asked, and I felt the urge to slap him.

"I know about you—what you are, and what I am—so stop!"

Understanding glinted in his eyes, and his expression changed from confused innocence to one of mischief, and a small smirk stretched across his face. "You know, huh?" he asked, and I nodded. "Well, it was bound to happen sometime." He shrugged and sat up straighter. "Too bad it happened directly after our first time together. It would be nice to have you a couple more times, but I guess that would be unfair to the Goodies."

Suddenly, I could see it clearly. I had been so blinded by love that I hadn't seen it before. Edward wasn't a good guy, and he never had been. Everyone in school thought of him as a "bad boy," but no one really understood how true it was. That image of his wasn't an act. He was really bad.

It didn't stop me from loving him, though.

However, at the moment, I was too angry, and the clarity of everything had me narrowing my eyes at him. "Shut up, Edward," I said, but it only caused him to laugh. "How could you do this?" I asked, and my eyes filled up once again with treacherous tears. I couldn't keep up with how much I'd been crying tonight. "I thought I meant something to you," I continued quietly.

The laughter died out, and he stood up so that he towered over me. "Angel, you do mean something to me," he said with a serious expression. "You mean _everything_ to me. The fact that I'm evil does _not_ change my feelings."

I shook my head and swallowed my tears to gain some strength in my voice. "What feelings? All you've done is manipulate me so that you could infect me with your dark magic and make me choose your side."

He stroked my cheek, but I hit his hand away. "Can you blame me, though?"

I couldn't, because the simple truth was that he' _s really_ evil. "No, I can't. But I can't just let it pass, either, and, from now on, I want you to leave me alone." It hurt a lot to have to say those words because my feelings for him were still very real.

In order to put some distance between us, I walked to the window, but Edward wasn't about to go down without a fight. He followed me, and I was sure he knew that my judgment always got clouded when he was too close. "I wouldn't have been able to get this close to you without your permission. Evil can't manipulate good. You were already partial to evil the night I met you at that party."

Without being able to help myself, I scoffed. "I think it's the dangerous vibe you give off that pulled me to you. I was far from evil back then. I was almost holy when we met, but you've slowly changed me, haven't you?"

He shrugged when I turned to face him. "That was the plan at first, but I didn't really need to do anything. As I said, you were already partial to evil that night. Everyone could feel it as soon as you walked into that house."

I gave him a confused look. "Everyone?" It took me a second to understand what he was talking about, and when I did my eyes widened. "Are you saying that all of our friends are Witches as well?" As stupid as it might seem, that thought hadn't occurred to me.

Edward nodded. "Yes. We're all in the same coven. Alice was born into a different one, but her initiation was quick."

When he said that, I almost choked. "Alice, too?" I should have realized that. She was welcomed into our group of friends without a second thought, after all. "Are there Good Witches at our school as well?" I asked and wondered how many Witches there really were out there.

Once again, Edward nodded. "Yes, but they're different from us. Their covens are usually not as tight-knit. They spread out, and hang with mortals a lot. Your freshman friend, Angela, is one, but she wasn't strong enough to keep you."

Had I been surrounded by only Witches my entire life? Had I ever interacted with normal human beings, or _mortals_ , as Edward called them? I didn't want to go any deeper into who was a Witch right at that moment, though. It freaked me out too much.

All the new information I was acquiring was making me very tired, and I sank down on my bed and let my head rest in my hands. This day would cause for some seriously strange dreams tonight.

Edward sat down next to me, but to his credit, he didn't try to touch me this time.

"Why?" I asked and turned my head to look at him. "Why did you have to put me through all of this? Was it some kind of sick thrill for you?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not it at all."

"Then what was it?" I raised my voice as I got more upset. "Why did you make me fall in love with you?"

He stared at me for a long while in silence, but then he must have decided that he couldn't stand for not touching me any longer because he pulled me up onto his lap. Then he placed one hand loosely around my throat, but I wasn't afraid that he would hurt me. This was something he'd always done, and while I thought it was strange in the beginning, now I enjoyed his touch so much, it squeezed my insides in an almost painful pleasure.

"I couldn't help myself," he murmured. "I tried to keep you at a distance at first, but you just kept pulling me in. The original plan was only to seduce you. Make you more inclined to us, but that was it. Me developing feelings for you was never supposed to be a part of that." He sighed and let his hand fall away. "But, I'm not lying when I say that I love you. You're my Angel."

I swallowed but remained silent for another few seconds. There was too much insecurity in me, and he was slowly weaseling his way back inside. I looked down and started playing with a piece of his shirt. "Don't say things like that to me, Edward. You know the prophecy. I have to make the choice alone."

He placed his hand underneath my chin and made me look at him. His eyes were completely sincere and the most vibrant color I'd ever seen. "It doesn't mean I won't try to persuade you. I _need_ you to choose my side. I can't lose you now."

"You won't lose me," I started, but he immediately shook his head.

"If you choose Good, I will. Good and Evil are not supposed to be together because they can't cooperate."

"Renee and Charlie are," I insisted.

"Barely," he said. "You've lived with them your entire life. You know they can barely be in the same room without going at each other's throats. It's the natural way of things; a never-ending battle. Their promise as Originals is the only thing keeping them together." Edward used the pad of his thumb to trace over my lips. "I don't want us to become like that."

"It's different for us," I tried. "They're not even a real couple." It was a weak theory, but I didn't want to think of all of the consequences my upcoming choice would have. I just wanted everything to remain the same, and I wanted to keep Edward, and my friends.

"It's not just that—" Edward started, but steps in the stairs alerted us that someone was coming. We immediately parted and stood up so that Edward could climb back out of the window. Neither of my parents would be okay with his presence in my room.

He was only half-way through when he turned back to me. "We still have six weeks left. Can't we just enjoy it while it lasts?"

"Please, don't talk like that," I said desperately. "I don't want to think about goodbyes."

"This doesn't have to be goodbye," he insisted.

I hesitated to tell him the truth, but I had to. "They pulled me out of school. We're leaving tomorrow to live somewhere else until its time. I need to learn the craft without distractions before I choose."

He frowned and looked just as desperate as I felt. "Where? I can visit you there without them noticing. We've done it before."

I wanted to tell him, but while I hated that this was potentially the goodbye I didn't want to have, I knew that it was the only thing to do. I had no idea what I would choose in six weeks time, and it was no use in preventing what was possibly inevitable, so I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I said, and it tore at my heart.

I started to close my window and Edward had to climb all the way through, but he wasn't ready to let go. He placed his hand on the glass to keep it open. "Angel, wait! Please, tell me! I can't bear it if this is the last time I see you."

I could hear that it was Charlie that was outside in the hall, and I knew I had to act quickly. I opened the window just a fraction wider and leaned outside. "If you really do love me, this will lead you to me," I said and kissed him. There were sparks emanating from my lips and the wind swirled around us before once again calming down when we parted.

"I will find you," Edward promised before climbing down the tree outside my window, and I closed it and turned around just in time for my bedroom door to open.

Charlie was standing there and frowned. "I heard voices. Is there someone in here?"

I shook my head and tried to look innocent. "No, I'm all alone."

He narrowed his eyes, obviously not fooled by my act. "I can feel a residue of Evil, so don't lie to me, Isabella. Has Edward been here?"

I knew there was no use in denying it, and so I sighed and slumped my shoulders. "Yes. I was just saying goodbye to him."

"Be careful, Isabella," he warned. "The boy and I might be on the same side, but the repercussions of his actions will haunt him. He's not allowed to go against the prophecy as much as he is, and there will be consequences."

With that, he was about to close the door again and leave, but he had gotten me worried.

"What kind of consequences?"

He looked at me with a very serious expression. "The magical community will not simply accept everything if they find out that he influenced your choice too much. We have strict rules against that sort of thing. Rules that have been broken in the past, but breaking them has resulted in nothing but destruction and pain for those involved."

All of the blood drained from my face as I thought of what Charlie's words could mean. I might not just lose Edward as my boyfriend. Was it possible that he could lose his life in the process? I didn't even want to imagine something like that.

"You should pack," Charlie said to remind me of his earlier words, and then he left me standing there feeling lightheaded and scared of the future.

I ignored Charlie's parting words and I fell back onto my bed. I was completely exhausted and I was asleep in mere seconds.

* * *

 **A/N:**

So Edward is definitely Evil :-P My inspiration for him as a character is the less serious Cole from ' _Charmed_ ' and I know some of you have expressed some hate for Charlie as well and my inspiration for him is Negan in ' _Walking Dead_ ' so yeah, I want him to be a douche xD I still love him, though!

As I said before, I might go into the hospital tomorrow to check what's wrong with my stomach, if it still hurts, and if you feel that you want me to keep you updated on that, just let me know


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**

I know, I know I am late with the chapter again, and I am so sorry! My move is just very complicated, and many things have gone wrong. I have so much in my head, I simply forgot to update the story, and I apologize for that.

At least, my stomach is better. The doctors said it was stress that caused it, and it doesn't surprise me considering everything that's going on right now, but as I said, I'm better now :)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 069

* * *

 **{Chapter 5}**

I lifted my suitcase out of the trunk of Charlie's car with a groan and then looked at the cabin in front of me. It was a very small, two-story wooden house painted an off-white with picturesque shutters framing the windows. The garden was larger than the house, and as a kid, I'd spent most of the time outside since the room I always slept in was cramped and claustrophobic. I grimaced as I thought about it. It barely had enough space for the twin bed in there and the closet was ridiculously small.

As if that wasn't enough, there was only one bathroom that the three of us had to share.

I used to enjoy spending a couple of weeks here each summer before I started high school, and there had been times when Angela had come here as well. Back then, we always slept in the living room on the two couches that faced each other and we'd chatted and giggled all through the night until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore.

I wanted to smile at those memories, but now that I knew Angela was a Witch, I felt that she had deceived me just as much as Edward had, because she never told me anything either, and she was supposed to be Good.

"Charlie, can you carry Bella's chest inside and place it in the living room?" Renee said as she walked up to the door and unlocked it with the key underneath the doormat.

I didn't even try to fight my smile when Charlie cursed at how heavy the thing was, and that he hated not having his powers anymore.

"Isabella, give me a hand," he said, and I immediately understood he wasn't talking about carrying help.

My smile fell and I looked at him in shock. "I-I don't know how."

He smiled widely, but it wasn't a pleasant smile, and I had to admit that it hurt, but it wasn't my fault I had never practiced magic before. "It's not difficult. You have the magic inside you. Try a spell."

"I don't know any spells," I insisted weakly because I suddenly felt completely useless.

"Charlie!" Renee said curtly. "You can't ask that of her. You know she has to accept her magic heritage before she can perform any spells, or have you forgotten that?"

Charlie directed his eyes toward Renee and gestured toward the chest. "Well, if you know a way to get the thing inside, by all means, be my guest. In the meantime, I'll just sit here and watch." He sat down on the lawn and leaned back on his hands, waiting for Renee to make her move. She wasn't the least bit frazzled.

"Bella, you can unpack in the master bedroom. Charlie and I will be inside in a moment."

"The master bedroom?" I asked, confused. "But where are you going to sleep?"

Renee stroked my hair lovingly. "Charlie and I won't have to pretend to be married any longer, so I'll sleep on the couch, and Charlie will sleep in the basement. Besides, that room you occupied before has already been remade into your own magic supply closet. You'll find everything you will possibly need for your training in there."

I blinked. "Uh, okay. If you say so," I said, and took a steady grip on my suitcase and carried it inside while grunting and groaning at the weight of it. With a heave, I threw it on top of the king-sized bed, and I smiled again as I thought that I'd at least have a very comfortable place to sleep for the upcoming six weeks.

However, it fell again quickly as it occurred to me that it would probably feel very empty to sleep in a king-size by myself, and I instantly began missing Edward. I was still sore from yesterday and it was a torturous, aching pleasure that continued to remind me of the love I still felt for the guy, despite everything, and now I would probably never see him again. No one who hadn't been here before knew of this cabin. Charlie told me on the way here that the address wasn't registered because when we were here, we didn't want to be disturbed.

With a deep sigh, I opened the lid of the suitcase and started to unpack all of my clothes. Most of them didn't look like my usual style because those clothes weren't practical here. I would only ruin them and so I left them at home. Instead, my wardrobe would consist of black leggings and loose tank tops. I hadn't been able to separate from my leather jacket, though.

My hair continued to fall in my face, and it frustrated me to the point that I used the hair elastic I had around my wrist and pulled everything back into the ponytail I used to sport every day before I started high school.

I caught my reflection in the mirror that was placed on the wardrobe, and I felt shocked to see an older version of the Bella I used to be. I hadn't seen her in years, and it unsettled me a bit to come face to face with her again. Her eyes appeared to judge me, and a feeling of disappointment washed through my body.

"Bella, sweetheart, are you done? Could you come downstairs?" Renee called, and the feeling went away. I shook my head to clear it and went downstairs.

The living room had been transformed and I blinked a couple of times to be sure I wasn't hallucinating. All of the furniture had been moved away, and instead of the usual low coffee table in the center, there was now a circular table, covered in a white cloth, and several lit candles adorned it.

A spell book was opened and next to it lay one of my very sharp daggers. There was also a black lead pot in the center of it, and several glass jars of what I now knew was potion ingredients.

The lights were out and everything glowed, causing the whole scene to appear iridescent.

"What's gonna happen now?" I asked. I was feeling rather nervous, especially at the sight of the dagger. I really hoped I wouldn't have to sacrifice anything or stab myself.

Renee, who was sitting cross-legged by the table, smiled at me. Charlie was walking around the room, lighting candles that were placed in every nook and cranny they could possibly have found.

"It's time for you to accept your magical heritage and gain access to your powers and your family's knowledge," she said in a serene voice. When I looked closer at her, I realized that her eye color had changed. They were no longer the blue I was used to, but a shimmering forest green, and it was swirling around, sometimes blending into a glowing yellow. I realized then that I was looking into the eyes of a Witch of the Old. The things those eyes had witnessed were of a nature that I could only dream about.

I slowly walked closer when she gestured for me to sit down next to her, and when we were level with each other, she grabbed my right hand in hers. I gasped at the intense heat that radiated from her palm, but I didn't attempt to pull away.

Charlie joined us, and his eyes, like Renee's, had also changed color. His were now a flaming orange that occasionally blended into the same yellow Renee's had.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to collect myself. It was shocking to see the proof that magic existed. It didn't matter that I knew. It was still strange. "Okay, what do I have to do?"

Renee placed my dagger in the hand she was holding, and then proceeded to talk me through the process. I had a difficult time giving her my complete attention, though, because the dagger in my hand made me nervous.

"Charlie, add the mandrake root in the pot, please," she said before took a hold of my left hand and directed the tip of the dagger toward my palm. "Bella, we need your blood so that the Divine knows whose ancestors she should call."

"And I have to do it myself?" I asked shakily and swallowed.

"Yes. Or else, She will interpret you as unwilling."

Before I could change my mind, I quickly pressed the tip of the dagger into my palm, and fortunately, it was so sharp, I barely had to use any force. Still, I couldn't hold in my cry of pain.

Renee had me make a fist to squeeze several ruby drops into the pot, but nothing extraordinary happened. She continued to add ingredients into the pot, and for my sake, she named them all.

"Nightshade, Henbane, Datura, and oil made from the Strychnine tree."

The contents in the pot started to boil.

"And lastly, water hemlock root." She turned to me, and her eyes were swirling faster. My breathing picked up when she said the spell while looking deep into my eyes.

" _From mother to daughter, from father to son_

 _the power shall pass from the shadow of the sun._

 _I call for you through the times, ancestors of the Sinclair/Alistair line._

 _Bless this childe with your grace_

 _Guide her need in this sacred space."_

White smoke started to build and pour out over the sides of the pot.

The slight throbbing in my palm from the cut was forgotten as I was completely enthralled with what was happening in front of me. The smoke had set a course toward me, and it swirled around me in dancing circles. It smelled surprisingly sweet, and I took a deep breath through my nose.

As the smoke filled my lungs, a powerful feeling that was impossible to compare with anything I had ever felt before radiated from my heart and out to my limbs. When it reached my palms, it felt as if they were being enveloped in the finest, softest silk.

Suddenly, the smoke dissipated, and while I still felt the aftertaste of the power in my body and the silk on my hands, it wasn't as intense as it had been.

On their own accord, my eyes closed, but I could still see the room in front of me. It looked the same except that Renee and Charlie were not there.

Someone was, though.

A young woman in her mid-twenties. She had my face, but she was blonde and had blue eyes. A small smile was playing on her lips while she looked at me, and when the sound of steps echoed behind her, it grew wider.

The steps belonged to a tall man with a kind face. He had my brown eyes and hair color, and I could clearly see several other features we had in common. When the couple stood next to each other, I knew that they could be no other than my biological parents.

I wanted to call for them, reach out and touch them, but I couldn't and something sad crossed my dad's face. Mom blew me a kiss and before the image dissolved, I saw a tear falling down her cheek.

When I opened my eyes, I felt the tear on my own cheek and touched it lightly with the tips of my fingers. I wondered if she had truly been crying or if I'd only seen a reflection of myself.

I sniffled softly and Renee handed me a handkerchief. Her eyes were back to her ocean blue color, and she was looking at me with sympathy. "You saw your parents," she said, not as a question, but as a statement.

I nodded and opened my mouth to ask how she knew that, but she beat me to it.

"We always see our closest deceased ancestors when our powers are passed down the line."

Another tear fell from my eye, and I quickly wiped it away. I didn't understand why I was crying for two people I hadn't even known existed before yesterday, and it felt absurd that I was grieving them when I never knew them.

"I'm sorry," I apologized to the two people that had raised me. For all intents and purposes, they were my parents, and by grieving for the two phantoms in my vision, they surely must feel betrayed. I know I would have.

"Why are you apologizing?" Renée asked with concerned eyes.

I sniffled and shook my head. "I don't know why I'm crying for them. I didn't even know them."

"Don't feel guilty for grieving them, Bella. We would never take that away from you."

It shocked me that Renee understood my feelings better than I did, but it felt so much better after she gave me that reassurance.

"It must feel better to at least have an image of them now," Renee continued, and I wanted to agree with her, but I quickly realized that I couldn't remember the faces in my vision. I just knew that I'd seen my parents, but everything else was blurry.

"I can't see their faces. Everything I saw is a blur," I said and my voice trembled as I realized I'd already lost the only thing I'd ever had of my birth parents.

It was quiet for a few seconds, and then Renee spoke. "We have something for you," she said and looked over my head at Charlie. "Get the album."

He left silently but came back only a minute later with a leather bound photo album in his hands. He handed it to me, and I looked between them both with confusion as I opened it to the first page.

What I saw made me gasp.

The first photo of the album was of a baby in the arms of a familiar looking blonde woman. Next to her stood a man that I also recognized, and I instantly knew that it was my first family photo. The woman looked so much like me, it just had to be my mother, and the man shared my dark hair and eyes.

My blurry vision once again became clear, and it pained me to realize that the phantoms hadn't appeared to age very much between the photo and their demise.

How much time did I have with them? Did I get even a year?

I started to flip through the album for clues and I got my answer when the photos abruptly stopped and the faded text below the empty space on the next page read:

 _Isabella's 1_ _st_ _birthday_

Pain seared my heart, and I had to close the album and lay it down to escape some of it.

"Okay, so what now?" I asked to distract myself.

"Bella, we understand if you need a break. We don't have to continue right away," Renee insisted, but I just looked at her.

"Yes, we do," I simply said and stood up so that I would face Charlie instead. I knew he wouldn't look at me with the same sympathy as Renee and that was what I needed right now. "What should I do?"

He looked at me for a long second, but then he simply shrugged as if thinking 'why not.'

"You should test out your powers at first. We don't always need spells, but they are a good support as we begin to learn the craft." He grabbed the spell book from the table, completely ignoring Renée's pleading look to take it easy, and flipped to the next page. "An elemental spell should be easy enough," he continued. "And Water and Air are always willing to play with new Witches. Earth is a bit more stubborn and Fire is too fickle for you to control right now."

He gave me the book and pointed to the text written in elegant calligraphy all over the page.

Quietly, I began reading the words out loud.

" _Water and Air_

 _Elements of the universe_

 _I call for you now, attend to me._

 _In my mind, I ask of you_

 _Keep me safe from curse and blast_

 _From caves and desert, from sea and hill_

 _By wand and cup, by blade and quill_

 _I call for you now, attend to me."_

A creak made us aware of the porch door being opened and there was also a rumbling in the walls of the house as the two elements reacted to my call. A gust of wind blew toward me and circled me at the same time as the most bizarre thing I'd ever seen appeared in front of me.

It looked like a flying band of glistening water, and it joined its elemental friend in its circling around me. They began to swirl together as if they were playing and when I reached out my fingers to touch them, they made small pirouettes on my palm.

I giggled, delightedly at the sight and sensation, and it must have pleased them because they circled me even faster and faster until my body somehow absorbed them. Strangely though, the water didn't make me the least bit wet.

When I became aware of the other two people in the room again, I heard their hushed discussion about me.

"Do not dare to push her too much, Charlie. It's too dangerous."

"We don't know that."

"And we can't take the risk either. You know it as well as I do."

"I just don't think we have the time to take it too slowly. You saw just now how easily the elements accepted her."

"Yes, I did, but I'm not going to put her life on the line because of one event."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, making them aware of my presence again and they both turned their heads my way.

Renee tried to smooth everything over by smiling. "Nothing that you need to concern yourself with. Both of us believe you've had enough for today. You should lie down and rest. I'll call you when lunch is ready."

I knew that I wouldn't get anything else for the moment, so I reluctantly did as I was told because I had a feeling I didn't know everything I should know.

* * *

 **A/N:**

We got to see some real magic there, and also get an image of Bella's real parents. If you want to see a picture, there is one in my group on Facebook; MarieCarro's Creative Corner, in The Undecided Story Album.

I will give a link to all who ask for it!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**

So I decided to actually update on time this week! This chapter is completely dedicated to Bella's magical training, and we'll see several different forms of it as well.

I truly hope you like my version of witchcraft, and that you think I have developed my characters enough for you to see the difference between Good and Evil since it's such a central part to the story. I haven't gotten a whole lot of feedback, and so I will just assume that all of you silent readers out there enjoy this! ;)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 336

* * *

 **{Chapter 6** **}**

"Bella, concentrate!" I startled when Renee raised her voice and when she saw that she had my attention once again, she sighed and gave me a disappointed look. "You need to know this. The history of our kind is just as important as the practical side of magic."

"But why?" I asked. "Can't I learn the history after I've chosen a side? Every day we have theoretic lessons, and all I feel is that it's a waste of time. I still can't make a simple spellwork right. Shouldn't I concentrate on that?"

I always found it difficult to focus on things that didn't interest me, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one with that particular concentration issue. Not even when I still thought school was fun, long before I met Edward, could dull subjects hold my interest for very long.

I was once told that because I was a fast learner, unless my brain was stimulated by something challenging, I would zone out whenever I was bored and disappear into my own mind. What scared me a bit about that was that I very rarely remembered what I'd been thinking about once I was brought back to reality, and it made me feel like a freak.

"It will come to you, sweetie. Magic isn't easy, and there are a lot of layers to everything surrounding it. We've only been here for four days, and we can't rush your training. It could be dangerous."

"What do you mean 'dangerous,'?

Renee closed the book we had between us and stared deeply into my eyes. "Witches have been known to go mad during their training because the brain can't process the surge of power it experiences in such a short amount of time. It's been decades since it last happened because we're more careful now, but it's still a possibility. You will be a very powerful Witch after Samhain and we can't afford the risk of you losing your sanity. Our kind are counting on you being a leader once you've made your choice."

"No pressure, or anything, right?" I mumbled, and while I knew Renee heard me, she didn't comment. I inhaled deeply and shook out my shoulders in an attempt to not let my fears of the future make me lose my focus. I was terrified of failing as a leader and from what Renee told me, there were Witches waiting in the wings who would step forward and follow me the second I'd acquired all my powers. How would I be able to live with myself if I let them down? How could I prevent that from ever happening?

Probably by listening to Renee and Charlie.

"Okay, let's continue," I said and gestured toward the book.

Renee smiled slightly and continued where she left off.

 **§~TU~§**

Both Renee and I coughed violently as thick, black smoke rose from the pot on the stove and filled the kitchen rapidly with its stinging smell.

"I think you used a tad bit too much daffodil nectar," Renee said through a cough and leaned over the sink to open the window and let some fresh air in.

"How am I supposed to know how much to use when the book says _'splash,' 'pinch,_ ' and _'sprinkle'_?" I replied defensively. I had never liked failing, but Renee's understanding made it worse as if she expected me to make a fool of myself.

"It comes with time and experience, sweetie. No one is born with the knowledge." She stroke my hair gently, but I was still moping and didn't want her reassurance.

"But others have more time to learn and not as much pressure on them, I'm sure," I said and started to flip the pages of the potion book without really reading the recipes.

"Don't worry about the future, Bella. It will only hinder your learning."

"Charlie says differently," I said. "He says it will be easier if I keep my eyes on the finish line."

Renee made a sound that resembled a growl and inhaled sharply. "That man is unbelievable," she mumbled, but I heard her. "He knows that she's far from finished after choosing sides."

I was about to ask her to elaborate, but Charlie chose that moment to join us, and she turned her fury on him. "Do you want her to fail? Do you have some hidden agenda I don't know about? How can you be so stupid and place that sort of pressure on her this early? Is that the right way for you?"

Charlie didn't appear phased by her anger and remained steady where he stood in the entrance to the kitchen. It was impressive as Renee's anger was almost palpable and had she directed it toward me, I would've taken several steps back. As it was, I did flinch when she pointed at me as if she needed to be overly clear to Charlie about whom she was speaking.

She had rarely allowed her anger to show before I was told I was a Witch, and I wondered if it had been frustrating for her to act the part of loving wife and mother with Charlie when she very obviously had some deeply rooted issues with the man.

When Renee quieted down, Charlie replied with the one line that was sure to cause an explosion in anyone anywhere in the world.

"Are you done?"

For a second, Renee's eyes went ablaze with that same glowing forest green they had during the night of my Acceptance Ritual, but they cooled back to blue almost instantly. Without another word, she grabbed Charlie's wrist and dragged him out through the kitchen door to the garden outside with violence. I knew she did it to spare me from having to watch them fight yet again, but I still heard the muffled voices as they yelled at each other.

I sighed deeply and took the potion book with me to the living room to create some distance between me and my mentors. My situation felt hopeless because they were wasting time fighting when they needed to teach me everything they could possibly think of, but instead, they were giving me constant headaches.

It was becoming more obvious to me every day what Edward had meant that night in my bedroom when he said that good and evil can't cooperate. If my mentors, two of the oldest and wisest Witches in the world couldn't rein in their emotions long enough to see that they were working toward the same goal, then it truly would be impossible for me and Edward to remain a couple if I chose the good side.

I looked over my shoulder back toward the kitchen, and when no one came through the door, I locked my eyes on my chest that was situated in the corner. I needed to find a solution to my problem because I just couldn't imagine my life without Edward in it, much less with him as an enemy.

With determination, I stood up and walked over to the chest. The hinges squeaked when I opened the lid, and as if I was doing something forbidden, I stopped and listened to see if the sound had alerted my teachers to what I was doing.

I rolled my eyes at myself when I realized how ridiculous I acted. It was _my_ chest and I was allowed to look through it as much as I wanted. I wasn't doing anything wrong, I told myself and started to rummage through the contents.

I was looking for something particular, I just didn't know what that was, but my instincts told me that it was a book of some sort. I read the titles quietly to myself, but none of them seemed to be what I was looking for. I closed the lid in frustration and scanned the room.

My eyes zeroed in on the bookshelf.

I knew the books that stood there. I had read most of them during my summers in this cabin, and they were all innocent fiction, but something told me I would find what I needed in that bookshelf.

The feeling that I was doing something forbidden intensified as I searched through the titles printed on the spines, but I ignored it. I had to do something because I couldn't just stand to the side as Edward, and my happiness, slipped through my fingers.

That was when I saw it. It was right there, snuggled between a copy of _Sophie's Choice_ and _Frankenstein's Monster._ A very inconspicuous little book that missed a title and only had a Witch's Sign printed into the leather at the very top. I carefully took it out, but as soon as I held it in my hand, it gave me a shock as if I had touched an exposed electrical wire, and I dropped it on the floor.

It landed on its spine and opened to a section that appeared to have been opened many times. I couldn't read the text that covered the pages because it looked like runes, but as I stared, the letters started to glow and transform into English.

I crouched down to look closer, but I didn't touch the book again for fear of it giving me another shock.

I gasped when the title of what I could now see was a spell was revealed to me.

 _Claiming Spell_

It was the spell I would read when it was time for me to choose a side. The left page was for good and the right was for evil. I looked through them both, but my eyes were drawn to the right. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the book opened to this particular page. I needed a solution that would assure I could stay with Edward, and it was staring me in the face.

I could just choose evil and be done with it. Would that be so bad? According to Edward, that was what I had surrounded myself with in school, and I had liked it. I felt connected with my friends, and I had never seen them do anything that was deemed too evil in my eyes.

 _That's because you were never invited to their rituals!_

I ignored the thought and reached out for the book, but I didn't touch it. I could feel the electric current in my fingertips, but instead of fearing it, I calmly let my nerves get used to the feeling until I felt it empower me instead.

I liked the power. It made me feel good and I wanted more. Much more.

Underneath the title on the page, there was a sentence written down in haste.

 _For Witches who are ready._

Was I ready? Could I claim my powers and choose sides before Samhain? Would I be able to go back home and return to Edward's arms before the weekend?

My heart accelerated and my breathing became more erratic as I entertained the thought of actually choosing evil.

The electric current from the book sparked stronger and it seemed to encase my heart. It was almost as if it could feel and read my thoughts and emotions and it wanted me to choose now.

I swallowed thickly and opened my mouth to say the words that would seal my fate.

" _Bella?"_ I heard from inside the kitchen, and I snapped out of the trance-like state I'd been in, and it caused the book to zap me again. I retracted my hand and glared at the offensive book, and I realized what I had almost done. I had almost chosen evil on a whim.

No, not on a whim. I had almost chosen it because my teenage hormones told me I couldn't survive without my boyfriend, and I felt disgusted with myself. I thought I was an independent person, but I had just proven myself wrong.

If the slightest little seduction from the dark side could pull me in as deeply as it just had, what did that say about my character?

Without caring if the book zapped me again, I closed it and placed it back in the bookshelf before calling out to Renee that I was in the living room.

I couldn't let what had passed happen again. I was going to be responsible and make a well thought out choice. Witches all over counted on me doing the right thing, and I couldn't let them down for the sake of love.

 **§~TU~§**

With a swipe of my hand, I watched in fascination as the sprout began to rapidly grow until the flower bloomed.

"Perfect, Sweetie! You're really getting a handle on controlling Earth now," Renee praised me, and I beamed at her, but Charlie made an impatient sound behind us which caused my smile to fall, and I looked over my shoulder at him. He was standing with his arms crossed and an unimpressed expression.

"Yes, she does learn quickly, therefore, you can't keep her at this level, Renee. You've wasted two weeks on basic things that children learn before they begin school."

Renee glared at him. "I believe you forget that Bella hasn't practiced any magic at all up until two weeks ago. We can't rush her. You know how dangerous that could be!"

"It's not dangerous for her. She's stronger than other Witches. She will be able to handle the surge of power," Charlie insisted, and I sighed while studying my flower instead of listening to my mentors fighting.

"And if she doesn't? What will you do then, Charlie? How are you going to explain that you caused the most powerful Witch of all time to go mad?"

I rolled my eyes and stroked the petals of the flower, but that caused the plant to burst into flames with a puff and it burned to ash within seconds. I'd noticed that sort of thing always happened when I got frustrated with my teachers. My magic always reversed itself or changed when they fought about me as if I weren't right next to them. I couldn't completely control fire yet, and the mischievous element loved to ruin my progress when it felt my discipline waver.

"You should teach her to write spells and create potions!" Charlie continued.

"How can she create her own when she hasn't been able to perfect an already existing recipe? Her powers are only just manifesting, and she's doing great. Give her some praise, for God's sake!"

I decided I didn't want to be close to the fighting anymore, and so I stood up from the couch and went to my chest. I dug out one of the many ritual books and took it with me to my room to read.

I flipped through the pages but stopped when I saw a symbol I recognized. It was the five-pointed star Edward had tattooed over his heart.

I skimmed over most of the text as it was mostly about its history and why it was believed by mortals that it was a symbol for Satanism, but at the very end, one paragraph caught my eye.

 _To Evil Witches, the inverted pentagram is a representation of "Black magic," symbolizing the triumph of matter and individual desires over religious dogma; the choice to pursue individual glory or immortality rather than union or absorption with the divine._

 _During Rituals, Evil Witches focus on the physical elements-flatus, ignus, aqua, and terra-while most often ignoring the element of divine energy._

It couldn't get much clearer than that. Even if I didn't have Edward's confession of being an Evil Witch, the representational symbol of black magic tattooed on his chest would pretty much have convinced me.

I continued to flip through the pages with a hint of frustration now but stopped short when I came across a spell I hadn't seen before.

A spell to summon a spirit guide.

It took me barely a second to decide that I would try it. I was truly in desperate need of some guidance, and since I didn't get it from my constantly fighting mentors, I had to be creative.

I didn't waste any time and ran out of the room to my new supply closet down the hall, and the voices of Renee and Charlie rose from the living room. They were still fighting, but they had moved on to a different topic now. It appeared they were clearing the air of everything that had annoyed them during the past seventeen years of acting as my parents, and I rolled my eyes.

If I hadn't known they weren't married, they sure could have fooled me.

I grabbed what I needed and ran back into my room, where I made sure to lock the door so that I wouldn't be disturbed. Then I placed six candles on the floor in a ring, and I knelt inside of it before lighting them up.

The book was open in front of me, and when I had memorized the words, I closed my eyes and cleared my mind.

 _Spirit Guide from the other side_

 _Hear these words, heed my cry_

 _Come to me who call you near_

 _Show yourself bright and clear_

I felt the power as it surged out of me, and a light breeze made me open my eyes. In front of me stood a tall and handsome man who smiled widely at me.

"I was wondering when you would find that spell and summon me," he said with a smirk, and all I could do was stare.

"It worked?" I asked no one, and the man laughed.

"Obviously. I am here. So, Bella, what can I help you with."

I exhaled hard and stood up. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to choose a side. I know it should be up to me, but this sucks. Can't I just remain with both?"

My guide took one of my hands and began to trace the deeper lines in my palm with the tip of his finger. While he was solid, his touch didn't feel human. It felt like the softest caress of a feather. "I don't think you have realized it, Bella, but you made your choice a long time ago all by yourself. It's already within you. All you have to do is listen to your heart. It's the only thing that can't lie to you."

I shook my head. "But all my heart wants is Edward."

"Yes, and?" my guide questioned, and I frowned.

"Doesn't that mean that I have to choose Evil?"

He smiled. "And would that be such a bad thing?"

I gaped at him. "Well, isn't Good supposed to conquer and win everything? It says so in all the stories."

"In fairy tales, perhaps, but the real world is different, Bella. Everything is not in black and white, but there always has to be a balance. Just look at the world. A rapist murderer kills a young woman on the streets of Vegas, but at the same time, a volunteer saves the life of a young child in Asia that is meant to do great things in the future. It's simply the way of life."

"Won't there be an unbalance once I've chosen sides? If my powers are so great, how can it be fair that one side only gets to claim them?"

My guide agreed with me. "It's not fair, but as I said, where there is evil, there always has to be good. If one side acquires too much power, it will be evened out in one way or the other."

A calm settled over me, and I brought one of the candles up to my face.

"I release you," I said and blew the flame out. My guide gave me one last smile before he faded away. "Thank you," I called out into the empty room when he was gone, and a soft breeze against my cheek told me he'd heard me.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Oh my, Bella was very close to making a rash decision there, wasn't she? Her Spirit Guide gave her some to think about as well, so what do you think she'll make of his words?

I can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**

'Sup ladies! Are you ready to see what will happen next in Bella's training? And also find out a bit more about her mysterious parents?

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 157

* * *

 **{Chapter 7}**

I collected my things and went to put them back in my supply closet.

It was quiet in the house, so I guessed Renee and Charlie had finally stopped fighting, but that meant they must also have realized that I was no longer with them downstairs.

I had barely finished the thought when my name was called from below.

"Isabella?" Charlie called, and for once, it didn't sound like he was going to yell at me, so I made my way down.

As soon as they spotted me, Charlie walked over and placed his hand on my back. "Come with me to the basement. I am going to teach you some real magic." Renee crossed her arms and pouted like a petulant child at his words.

I stepped away from Charlie and looked at them both apologetically. "Actually, I think I'm going to go to the kitchen and practice my potion making." I started to walk there but turned back around when I heard them follow me. "Alone," I said, and they looked at me in confusion simultaneously. "All this frustrated energy you two have between each other doesn't have a great impact on my powers."

I started to move toward the kitchen again while they stood frozen with stunned expressions. I don't think either of them had expected that, but I really needed to be by myself. If what I had been able to do up in my room was any indication, I worked best when I was alone.

I ended up staying in the kitchen the entire night, and I wasn't disturbed once, which felt absolutely great.

However, around midnight there was a noise outside that caused me to stop with the potion I was currently making. I looked toward the window, but I could only see the darkness outside. I felt on edge and strained to hear any other noise to confirm that there truly was something outside in the garden.

When I didn't hear anything, I grabbed the jar of rosemary and proceeded with the potion. It said that I only needed a pinch of the herb so I took care to measure it into my hand first.

A sudden knock on the door caused me to startle and the rosemary in my hand fell into the potion, which exploded. I crouched down and took cover with a startled scream.

"Bella?" I heard Renee call from the living room.

"I'm fine!" I called back and straightened out. I tried to wave the smoke away with my hand, but it didn't do much.

I looked toward the door and saw a chuckling Edward standing outside. When he saw that he'd gotten my attention, he waved, and I hurried to unlock and let him in.

"Edward? What are you doing here?" I asked.

He smiled widely and placed a hand on the side of my neck. "I told you I would find you," he said, and the sound of his voice did things to me. My mouth went dry and I had to wet my lips before replying. Of course, this drew his attention to my mouth, and he began leaning in to kiss me.

I inhaled sharply and took a step back. "Yes, you did, but _how_ did you find me? Charlie told me there are no records of this cabin connected to us."

"Your spell led me here," he simply said, and I looked at him questioningly.

" _My_ spell? What spell?"

He chuckled. "You don't even realize you cast it, do you?"

I crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt to protect myself from the magic of his laugh. "No, I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

Edward casually walked over to the stove and peeked at the failed potion in the pot and wrinkled his nose when the foul smell invaded it. He appeared so at ease, a habit he'd always possessed, and something I used to envy him for. He simply didn't care that he wasn't allowed to be here. "Angel, you have a lot of power inside you. When you kissed me in your bedroom and said that it would lead me to you if I truly loved you, you cast your very first spell."

My arms slacked to my sides as I thought back to the moment he was talking about. I remembered the sparks I'd felt on my lips and the breeze that had swirled around us. Had I caused that?

He walked up to me and placed his hands on my waist. "You cast a _Promise Spell._ I wouldn't have found you if I didn't love you. Even if I'd come here, this place would have looked empty to me if my feelings for you weren't true."

I felt warmth envelop me from his words, and I wished that they could have solved everything. Then I would have thrown my arms around his neck and kissed him with everything I had. But despite the guidance I had received, and the fact that I had apparently already chosen, I wasn't any closer to knowing what it was I wanted apart from being with the man that stood before me. It still didn't feel right to choose Evil for that reason alone.

I shrugged helplessly. "And what do you want me to do with that knowledge, Edward? I still have to make a choice in four weeks."

His warm smile fell and he nodded solemnly. "I know. I was hoping that me being here would help you."

I couldn't restrain myself any longer and I placed my hands on his chest. His heart was beating steadily and for some reason it made my eyes well up. "How? All you do is make me more confused." I rested my forehead against him for a second before stepping out of his hold and went to pour the failed potion in the sink.

"Why is that?"

"Because when you are close, the only thing I want is to get this over with. Choose Evil and be done with it, but I can't choose Evil just because of you."

As always, Edward didn't really care about my lame attempt to put distance between us, because he could feel the pull just as much as I did, but while I tried to fight it, he listened to it. It was like an electric current and it sparked when he came closer and stood behind me.

"Would it really only be because of me, though? You feel a pull toward Evil. Admit it, Angel."

My skin tingled at his words, and I turned around to look at him. He was so close, we were practically flush against each other. "I'm not afraid to admit that, but I can't trust that pull either, because I don't know if it's me or if it's the part of _your_ magic that I have inside me."

Edward's eyes darkened at the mention of his magic inside me, and my mind was suddenly filled with images of that afternoon in the back of his car.

My own lust flared up and I tried to come up with anything to steer the conversation in a different direction because I wouldn't exactly stop Edward if he decided to begin ravishing me right there in the kitchen.

"There is also this part inside of me that says I can't choose Evil because I'm supposed to be Good."

Edward closed his eyes and took a few breaths. It was his way of pushing away his own lust and get back to the present. When he felt in control again, he opened his eyes and shrugged. "That's just your heritage speaking," he said, and I froze.

"What did you say?" I asked barely audible.

"Your heritage. Don't you know?" He narrowed his eyes. "Haven't Renee or Charlie told you?"

"Told me what?"

He looked at me incredulously. "The reason that you are so powerful is because you are half of each. A double blessed baby, like the prophecy said. Your mother's bloodline was one of only Evil Witches, and your father's was one of only Good. Usually, Witches marry mortals in order to procreate, but your relatives were an extraordinary family tree of pure magic."

I soaked up every word like a sponge because this was the first time I was told anything about my ancestors.

"Your mother, Marie Sinclair, was to be married to another Evil Witch and continue the purity of the family tree, but she met your dad, Nicholas Alistair, and they fell in love." Edward took a hold of my hands and enveloped them with his own. "Do you remember what I told you about Good and Evil not being able to cooperate?" he asked, and I nodded silently. "That's not the only reason that they can't be together. It goes against the laws of our society and is a crime punishable with death."

My heart was pounding loudly in my ears, but I could still hear Edward's every word.

"Your parents broke the law and eloped. There was a bounty on both of them, but they practically vanished. No one could find them for years, and it wasn't until after they were located that it was understood why. They gave up their powers to be together and it wasn't until the day you were born that they could be traced again. Your powers alone put them back on the map."

Sadness gripped me, and I understood why Renee didn't want to tell me much about my parents. It was my fault they were killed, but there was something else, too. I remembered how she had specifically said that my parents were killed by Evil Witches. This had caused me to assume that my parents had both been Good, but this new revelation put everything in a new light.

"Are you telling me that my mother was killed by her own kind? Her own coven?" I asked with despair slowly growing inside of me. Edward hesitated, and I was afraid he didn't want to tell me the rest. I _needed_ to know. "Please, tell me," I pleaded.

He finally answered me after an excruciating minute of silence. "It was an accident. The Witches that found them had planned to only capture them and bring them back to The Council, but they both refused and things got ugly. A curse that was meant for your father took your mother when she jumped in front of it to protect him. Your father was so blinded by rage he didn't care that he had no powers and tried to fight back. The next curse hit him in the chest."

It made me feel uneasy that Edward knew what had happened in detail, and I just had to ask him about it. "You're talking about it as if you were there. How can you know so many details?"

An expression I had never seen on Edward's face before contorted his beautiful features. He was uncomfortable and I was afraid to find out why. "I wasn't there," he said. "But there is something else you should know."

"What?" I asked feeling scared.

"The Witch your mother was supposed to marry was my father."

I was completely speechless. There wasn't a single word I could get out, and so I ended up only staring at Edward.

"When Marie eloped with Nicholas Alistair, my father felt personally betrayed even though their engagement was an arranged one. He has admitted to me that he still had romantic feelings for Marie when he met my mother a couple of years after your parents disappeared. Eventually, after I was born, he got over those feelings, but when Marie was located again after your birth, he was consumed with his want for revenge on your father for stealing his fiancee. As much as I hate to admit it, my father intended to kill your father himself. That Marie took the blow instead devastated him and he was never the same after that."

A sudden rage exploded inside me and the words I spewed out were sharp and venomous. "Yes, how difficult it must have been for him to return to his own wife and son after making me an orphan."

Edward looked at me pleadingly. "Angel, please, I told you it was an accident."

I sneered. "That my mother was killed, yes, but my father's murder was _very_ premeditated." Harshly, I pushed away from the counter and began pacing the length of the kitchen. "And you've _known_ the entire time. Ever since the day we met, you've known that your father was the cause for me not knowing who I am most of my life. How is that fair?"

"It's not fair," Edward said with a stoic expression.

"You're damn right it's not fair!" I walked up to him again. "How could you keep this from me? For fuck's sake, Edward, didn't you think I deserved to know this tiny little detail?"

He grabbed both of my upper arms in a hard grip, but it wasn't painful, so I knew it wasn't to hurt me. "I haven't exactly had the chance to tell you before now. Two weeks ago, you still thought that Renee and Charlie were your parents, so how could I have told you then? And tonight is the first time I've seen you since you found out that you're a Witch."

I removed his hands from me with force. I felt hurt and betrayed, and I wasn't ready to let go of my anger just yet. The anger felt good. It made me feel stronger than when I cried. "You could have told me that night in my bedroom," I accused, but Edward gave me an unamused smile and shook his head. His eyes were hard and cold.

"As I recall it, your parents weren't exactly brought up in that conversation, but if you want to know, I was going to when Charlie interrupted us."

I couldn't look at him anymore and turned around but stood locked on my spot in front of him. I heard his breathing behind me and how it slowed as he controlled his own anger.

His arms snaked around my waist and he pulled me back against his chest and buried his nose in my hair. "Bella, I don't want to fight with you. That's not why I came here. We can't let our parents' past taint what we have. You know I love you, and I know you love me. I have been going insane these past two weeks, not being able to see you, or touch you," he pulled my hair to the side and kissed my neck, "or taste you."

The feeling that came from the point where his lips touched my skin was akin to being zapped and in one short second, every part of my body sparked to life. I couldn't control the moan that escaped me, and I reached up behind me to grab a hold of the hair at the nape of his neck. Edward made a throaty sound at my response and his hands began to boldly explore my body through my clothes. He started to earnestly suck on my neck, no doubt leaving me with a hickey, and massaging my breasts with both of his hands.

I breathed out a moan, and he hummed with pleasure.

Suddenly, he stopped everything he was doing and hastily turned me around. He fiercely covered my mouth with his own and pushed his tongue inside. There was no air between our bodies, and I could feel how hard he was against my stomach. My muscles tightened in anticipation, and I placed one of his hands back on my breast.

My mind was in a fog, and nothing but the feel of Edward's hands on me, his mouth on mine, his smell in my nose, meant anything at that moment.

He turned us around so that my back was once again against the counter next to the sink. His hands traced down to take a hold of the back of my thighs and lifted me up so that I was sitting on the countertop instead. With purpose, he spread my legs and stepped in between them.

I was a panting mess, my center was throbbing and I wanted him closer, but when I heard the clinking of glass as we tipped over a few of the small glass vials of potion I made earlier, my mind suddenly cleared up. I realized what we were about to do, and while Renee and Charlie were in the house.

I placed my hands on Edward's shoulders and pushed him back. "Edward, stop. We can't do this."

He looked at me with the most devastated look I'd ever seen and I stroked his cheek with the tips of my fingers. "I'm sorry. I want to as much as you do, but you know why we can't." Edward groaned and hung with his head.

"Sometimes, your strong morals concern me," he said, and when he looked back at me and I saw his smirk. "I'm starting to believe that you are Good after all."

"Well, if neither of us had morals, just imagine the destruction we'd cause," I joked back and Edward's smile widened.

"But what beautiful destruction it would be."

With reluctance, he stepped back and allowed me to jump down from the counter. My legs felt boneless, and I had to take support before I regained my balance. This caused Edward to chuckle.

"Don't act so smug. I could feel and now see the effect I have on you, you know," I said, but I should have known that it wouldn't exactly embarrass him that I called him out on his hard-on. Instead, he grabbed me again and pushed his hips forward so that I felt every inch of his cock against my stomach.

"How lucky that I have never tried to hide it from you then," he said, and I rolled my eyes with amusement. I kissed him lightly before removing myself from his grip.

"I think you should go," I said sadly. "You're not supposed to be here. People may get angry if they think you're influencing my choice too much."

Edward looked displeased. "Then let them get angry. I don't care, Angel."

"But I do," I insisted. "These are the same people that will expect things of me after Samhain, and I don't want to let them down."

He nodded, but before he left, he gave me another kiss. "Just in case," he said, and I knew what he meant.

He wanted one last kiss if this meant the end. The thing was that I still didn't know. I rubbed my face in frustration and then turned off the lights in the kitchen and went to bed.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Holy shit! So Edward's dad was supposed to marry Marie and Bella is not happy about this close relation between her boyfriend and dead parents...do you think this will affect her decision? Stick around, and you'll see! ;-)


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**

Quite a few of you had strong reactions over the last chapter. What do you think Renee and Charlie will say now? Read and find out :)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 2, 907

* * *

 **{Chapter 8}**

The next morning, I stared at the two people I used to call my parents across the breakfast table and without pulling any punches, I asked the million dollar question. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Both of them stopped eating and looked at me questioningly.

"What are you talking about, Isabella?" Charlie put his cup of coffee down on the table and clasped his hands together.

My eyes wandered back and forth between them and I decided to be completely truthful. "Edward was here last night."

Renee's eyes widened and she turned her head toward Charlie as if he was the reason Edward had been here.

"Apparently he was led her by a spell of mine. I didn't even know I'd cast it, but that's not the point." I paused and took a drink from my own coffee. I wanted my mentors on edge and nervous because it would make it easier for me to see through their lies. "He told me some interesting things about my parents."

Both of their eyes brightened with understanding. They knew I knew.

"He thought it was strange you hadn't told me what they were … so why didn't you?"

"It could have influenced—" Renee started, but I quickly stopped her when I knew what she was going to say.

"Stop giving me that bullshit!" I exclaimed. "You know that's not why. My parents were one of each so it wouldn't have inclined me either way to know. There is another reason, isn't it?"

Renee and Charlie exchanged a look and then turned back to me.

"It's true," Charlie admitted. "We didn't want to tell you because you would still believe a future with Edward was possible even if you were to choose Good. We didn't want to give you false hope."

I frowned. "What do you mean 'false'? My parents proved that Good and Evil Witches can be together, so why couldn't Edward and I be like that?"

"Your heart forces you to forget the key points in your parents' story," Renee answered me with a sad smile. "The only way they could be together was by giving up their powers and go into hiding. If the most powerful Witch of all time did the same for love, our society would collapse."

"Why?" I asked, starting to feel rather exasperated.

Renee kept steady eye contact with me as she finally gave me the full explanation. "The promise of a leader that so many have waited for has shaped our society to what it is today and it's a big reason that our kind can co-exist. I don't think you have truly grasped how important you are, Bella. You are destined to lead us into the new age."

I blinked and stared at her. "That's the most cliché thing you've told me since all this began," I said, but it only caused her to chuckle softly.

"But it's the truth. Despite it sounding like a badly written story, it's the life of those few chosen that have their destinies predicted."

I swallowed thickly and pushed my breakfast away from me. I wasn't hungry anymore. "It's not fair," I said quietly toward the tabletop like a small child. It hurt that I had to choose everyone else over my own happiness, which I could only acquire by being with Edward. He was my true love. I knew that now.

"Life's never fair," Charlie said. "Much less for leaders and you have to embrace that no matter what you want for yourself."

His words angered me. "As if you know what sacrifice entails," I spit out. "Evil Witches are selfish by nature and would never make a sacrifice unless they gain something greater from it."

Both of them gaped me, but I just stood up from my seat. "I'm gonna go read in my room," I announced and left the kitchen. I needed to be alone, because even though I understood what I'd been told, it didn't make my situation easier.

I had only been given another reason to choose Evil, and I was beginning to believe that perhaps that was what was meant to be. That I was still feeling insecure in that choice was because my very core told me it wasn't right.

I wasn't an evil person per se. Not like Edward and Alice who could obliterate someone with just one look and laugh at the same time. I guess I had less desirable qualities, like being selfish, envious, and sometimes quite greedy. I wasn't always grateful, and I had petty tendencies. However, there was a part of me that felt immense compassion, and I was trustworthy and loyal.

I stayed locked inside my room that entire day and read through pretty much every book I had. I buried myself in my magic studies, and I quickly mastered every spell in the two books that Renee had focused most on for the past two weeks. The books that Charlie claimed were for children.

The hours passed quickly and I must have fallen asleep at one point because when I woke up again, I was on my stomach, my cheek pressed against the pages of the book I had been reading, and it was black night outside my window.

I sat up and closed the book and began to take my clothes off so that I could go back to sleep, but then something in the garden caught my eye. It looked like the flame from a candle, but I couldn't understand why someone had lit a candle in the garden.

My curiosity was piqued, though, and I had to check it out. I put on an extra sweater since the air was quite cold outside now that we'd entered October, and made my way downstairs. I went through the kitchen and looked through the glass on the door, and the flame was still there so at least I knew that it hadn't been in my head because I was tired.

As soon as I opened the door, a cold gust of wind hit me in the face, and I realized that it was quite windy. However, the flame wasn't even flickering. It burned as if the element of air couldn't touch it. I instantly felt cautious because it was obvious this flame had been conjured with magic, and I knew that Renee and Charlie never left their candles burning like this, so it had to be another Witch. The only Witch who knew we were here, though, was Edward, but then again, if he could find us, I'm sure others could as well.

I approached the candle with care. My extra sweater didn't provide much warmth and I trembled slightly as the wind chilled me, but I just had to know what was the deal with this candle.

As I got closer, I noticed the candle was flesh colored and the smell coming from it was absolutely rancid. It made me want to gag, but I refrained from it and leaned forward to see better.

The candle was soaring mid-height, and there was a tag attached to the bottom of it. I was just about to reach out and touch it when I heard the door behind me burst open.

"Do not touch that!" Charlie exclaimed behind me, and I startled slightly at his raised voice and took several steps away from the candle. "Isabella, I need you to bring the candle inside without touching it physically. Can you do that?" he asked cautiously without taking his eyes off the candle, and all I could do was nod. I had read about a telekinesis spell and I knew it in theory, but I had yet to try it. I hoped I could make it work.

My hand was trembling slightly as I directed the heel of it toward the candle and started to chant.

 _Without touch_

 _Move this object_

 _To where I desire_

I clearly felt the vibrations as the candle connected with me and ever so slowly, I began directing it toward the door to get it inside like Charlie told me, but then, Fire decided to be a brat and mess things up for me. I felt it when the element joined and made the flame burn brighter and larger. The heat burned my hand, and I almost lost my concentration.

The taste of Fire's amusement angered me, and with a new determination to put it in its place, I pushed myself harder and gave all my focus to the spell I was casting. When the element felt how firmly I stood my ground, it retreated peacefully and I relaxed slightly.

Finally, the candle was inside the house and Charlie directed me to place it on the kitchen counter. The smell of it was worse than it had been outside, and I really had to stop myself from throwing up.

Charlie stood several feet from the candle and studied it, but I could see that he knew what it was.

"What is it?" I asked when he didn't tell me on his own.

"It's Dead Man's candle," he said. "The wax is made from human fat and the wick is braided hair from decomposed bodies." He turned to me but didn't react to my disgusted expression. I felt so sick at this point that I was positive I must look a bit green. "It's one of the darkest forms of Black Magic. Its purpose is to kill whoever the candle maker has cursed, but it can only be activated by a powerful source. In this case, you."

I swallowed thickly in an attempt to keep the bile down. "Me? Am I the cursed or the powerful source?" It wasn't just the smell getting to me now. The entire conversation was disgusting.

Charlie shrugged. "Could be both, but you are definitely the source. How anyone knew you were here and where to place the candle so you would find it is what concerns me the most, though."

"Can anyone find me here?"

"They shouldn't," he replied, but he didn't sound too sure. "Only if they've been invited," he continued and then looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't look at me! I haven't invited anyone here. Only Edward knows and that wasn't on purpose." Charlie's scrutinizing look remained on me for a few more seconds and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable when he finally looked back at the candle.

"Maybe it was the boy. He does have his fair share of enemies he'd like to eliminate," he mused, but I was already shaking my head.

"No, Edward wouldn't use me like that. I know he wouldn't."

"How can you be so sure?" He was challenging me, but I didn't take the bait. I was loyal to Edward, and I knew in my bones that he wouldn't take advantage of my powers like that.

"Because he loves me," I answered firmly.

Charlie gave me a sinister smile, but I wasn't intimidated. I used to believe this man was my dad, and there was nothing he could do that would scare me. "You shouldn't hold on to that love too tightly. The boy is Evil after all."

I crossed my arms defensively. I wouldn't allow Charlie to play this type of mind tricks with me. "So? My mother was also Evil, and she loved my father enough to run away with him. Don't for a second believe you can fool me into thinking that Evil Witches cannot love. I know that's a pile of shit!"

Charlie simply shrugged and said no more on that topic. Instead, he started to leave the kitchen. "Dispose of the candle, but whatever you do, don't touch it."

I glared at him with irritation. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" I asked his back.

Without stopping or turning around he replied: "Well, you know plenty enough, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

My anger rose toward Charlie's blasé attitude, and I wanted to strangle him, but with a huff, I let him go and fetched my book about curses. Hopefully, I would be able to find some kind of counter-curse for this candle.

It turned out to be rather impossible, though, because nothing in the book told me what to do when dealing with magic this dark. There was an entire page dedicated to facts about the candle and what it did, but nothing about how to cast it, or how to reverse it. It told me that once the power-source touched the candle, it sucked the magic dry and the source became utterly powerless.

That was why it was so dark, because not only did it cause one's death, but it also deprived a Witch of its powers. I felt utterly grateful that Charlie was in time to stop me, but I also wondered if maybe the cursed wasn't the only target to whoever made this candle.

I was in desperate need of comfort at that point, and so I did the only thing that had ever helped me in the past.

I texted Edward.

" **Are you awake?"**

I placed my phone back on the counter and tried to calm down, but my mind was spinning with all the thoughts swirling around. A part of me thought that maybe a Witch knew about mine and Edward's relationship and thought that he or she would kill two birds with one stone before any laws were broken.

It felt like an eternity later when my phone finally vibrated, and I immediately snatched it up.

" _ **Yeah, I'm out with the coven. Is something wrong?"**_

" **How do you reverse Dead Man's candle?"**

This time, his reply was instant.

" _ **What the fuck are you doing with that kind of magic, Angel!?"**_

" **It wasn't me! I found it in the garden. Luckily Charlie stopped me before I touched it."**

My phone started to ring, and the display told me it was Edward. I didn't let a second pass before I answered.

"Edward?"

" _Baby, this is some serious shit. Who would place Dead Man's candle in your garden?"_

As a reflex, I shrugged even though he couldn't see me. "I don't know. The only one who knows we're here is you, and you haven't told anyone, right?"

" _Of course not. Alice and Jimmy have asked about you, but I only told them you're preparing for your choice and they accepted that. They haven't asked me anything since."_

"Then who?" My fear was seeping into my voice at that point. "Edward, I'm scared."

" _Angel, I want to help you, but that kind of magic can't be reversed by one Witch. It has to be at least four, but preferably five, calling for each element. Including the Spirit Element."_

I was almost about to cry when I realized that we were four, and I held on to the hope that it could be enough. "If you come over, we are four. You, me, Renee, and Charlie!"

" _Renee_ _and Charlie don't have any powers, and you're still an Undecided. The reversal spell wouldn't be at its full force even with four mature Witches. In this situation, it's pretty much impossible without a fifth,"_ Edward insisted, but I wasn't giving up my idea.

"Maybe it wouldn't be possible with four normal Witches, but Renee and Charlie are Originals; some power has to linger inside them, and the prophecy says I'm the most powerful Witch of all time. That has to count for something, right?"

Edward sounded hesitant as he answered. " _I don't know. I haven't heard of it being done before, and if it doesn't work, it could have severe consequences. The curse could attach itself onto one of us, or it could be activated and drain all of us. Do you really want to take that risk?"_

I thought of the possibility that the curse attached itself to Edward and then activated, or if it drained me of my powers, and made me useless, and it pained me. But I couldn't just ignore the candle. It was like a ticking bomb. I had to disarm it.

"Taking life-threatening risks comes with the job I have to take soon."

I was met with silence on the other end, but I could hear Edward's breathing, so I knew he was still there.

" _I don't want you to get hurt,"_ he eventually said, and I understood his worry because I felt the same way. However, it couldn't stand in the way.

"I don't want you to get hurt either, but unless you know of another way to do this, it's what has to be done."

Edward chuckled sadly on the other end. " _Do you know you already sound like a leader?"_ I didn't answer him and he sighed. " _I can be there in thirty minutes."_

"I'll see you soon, then," I said and hung up. It wasn't until after I put my phone on the counter that I realized I hadn't told him that I love him like we always finished our conversations.

I quickly grabbed my phone again and sent one last text.

" **Thank you. I love you!"**

I didn't take my eyes off the screen until I saw Edward's reply.

" _ **I know."**_

* * *

 **A/N:**

My beta said the most awesome thing about this ending right here and that was that Edward Han Solo'd Bella xD I guess he totally did :-P

So about this candle ... who do you think placed it in the garden? Do you think it's someone we know in the story as of right now or someone we have not yet met?

Tell me your thoughts! I love to read them and I'm sorry if I don't respond to all of them, but it's really hard to find the time!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:**

I'm not really gonna say anything here. I'm dealing with lots of heavy stuff in my life ATM and I apologize for the slow updates, but I'm doing my best, I promise!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 417

* * *

 **{Chapter 9}**

The first thing I did after talking to Edward was go down to the basement where Charlie had his bed. He was standing with his arms crossed and looking out through the small window as if he had expected me to come down there.

"Well? Found anything?" he said with his back to me.

"I did," I said and stopped at the bottom of the stairs on the opposite side of the room from where he stood. "And I need you and Renee to help me."

There was a short pause. "Why?" he asked.

"Because we're gonna call for the elements, and I need at least four Witches for that."

He turned around slowly; an amused smile gracing his features. "But Renee and I don't have powers, and if I count correctly, we're still short of one Witch."

I shook my head. "No, we're not. Edward's gonna help. I called him."

The smile fell off Charlie's face, and he frowned. "The spell won't work, Isabella," he said, and I could hear in his tone how he questioned it, just as Edward had.

"Are you sure?" I challenged.

For several seconds, Charlie just looked at me, and when no further exchange took place, I climbed back up the stairs, and I noticed, feeling very pleased with myself, that Charlie followed.

Renee was asleep on the pull-out couch in the living room, but when I gently touched her arm, her eyes opened as if she had been awake the entire time. My heart skipped a beat as it frightened me a bit, but I calmed down when she sat up and stretched. "Is something wrong, honey?" she asked.

"I need you to get dressed and then come to the kitchen," I told her, and when she immediately reached for the shirt from the day before, I left and went back where Charlie was now reading in my book about the candle.

"There's nothing in here about reversing the candle's magic. From where did you get the idea of calling the elements?"

"Edward told me."

Charlie looked up at me, and there was annoyance in his eyes. "Are you going to rely on that boy for everything? He's not always going to be around, Isabella. A good leader is independent."

I crossed my arms in defense. "A good leader also knows when she has to consult with those who have more knowledge."

Renee came up behind me and gave me a half-hug. "That's exactly right, Bella. It makes me so proud hearing you say that." She let go of me and clasped her hands together. "So what's going on? What are we doing?" She looked between Charlie and me, and then her eyes zeroed in on the candle. She gasped and took several steps back. "Is that what I think it is?"

Charlie nodded. "Isabella found it in the garden, and now she has some idea that we should reverse it by calling the elements."

Renee looked at me with questioning eyes. "But honey, you know Charlie and I don't have powers, and we need—"

"I know, okay, and the fourth Witch is Edward. He's on his way and he said he would help," I said, feeling very tired of explaining myself over and over. "Here's what I'm thinking; I know you guys have given up your powers, but you're Originals, and you've lived for thousands of years. That has to mean that you still have magic inside of you, and maybe you don't need powers the same way other Witches do."

Both of them looked as if they didn't really believe it, and it made me nervous. What if they knew already that what I was saying wasn't true? What would I do then? I had no idea what to do about this candle otherwise.

"I know it's a risk, but I really think we should try."

The silence in the kitchen stretched, but finally, Charlie broke it. "Well, elemental magic is the most basic form of witchcraft." He locked eyes with Renee. "I've had some success with Air and Water."

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, I have, too."

"Then we should prepare," I said. "If you two can make space in the living room, I will collect what we need."

They did as I said without any more complaints and I went outside to collect twigs from the spruce that grew in the garden. Spruce twigs helped to keep magic inside a concentrated circle and we needed every kind of support that existed with the impossible task ahead.

"Should you really be out here alone considering what I'm here to help you with?" Edward suddenly said behind me, appearing in the dark. I hadn't heard him closing in, and his voice startled me to drop the twigs I had collected.

"Damn it, Edward, you should get a bell around your neck that can warn people when you approach them," I said feeling surly and bent down to collect the dropped twigs again.

Edward's shoes entered my vision and then his hand grabbed my chin and turned it up so that I would look at him. He was smirking devilishly, but like the insane person I was, I only saw it as an addition to his attractiveness.

"As I remember it, you used to love when I appeared out of nowhere," he said, and his eyes pierced into mine with a burning intensity that traveled like an electric current all over my body. I was just about to avert my eyes when he straightened me up completely and gave me a kiss that was just as intense as his eyes. I instantly began to feel lightheaded and I knew I had to step away before we got too carried away.

When I placed my hands on his chest and gently pushed, he groaned disappointedly and it made me smile. "Behave," I said, and his only response was to shrug and gesture for me to lead the way inside.

Once again, the living room had transformed. The couches were pushed against the wall, the windows were open to let air inside, there was a bowl of water and one with dirt on the floor, and candles flickered all over, giving the room a warm glow.

Renee and Charlie looked at us as we entered, and the both of them straightened up when they met Edward's eyes. Renee didn't smile at him the way she used to when I still thought magic exclusively existed in fairy-tales, and Charlie only gave him a curt nod as acknowledgment. Not that Edward cared. He never had, and that was why I didn't comment on my mentors' behaviors.

I handed the spruce twigs to Renee and she began to place them in a circle around the two bowls on the floor as I told all of them how I thought we should do this. "I suggest Charlie channels Water and Renee channels Air," I said, and they agreed with a synched nod. "Edward," I turned around, and he met my eyes. "You are the only full-powered Witch here, and so I think you should channel Fire. You'll have the best control over it."

"If you say so," he replied. His face was rather emotionless and I briefly wondered if this was how he always acted before a ritual, or if it was because of our situation. Instead of asking him about it, I took one of the block candles from its shelf and gave it to him. I'd read that if you held onto something that was directly related to the element you wanted to channel, it made it easier to connect.

"I will channel Earth and the Spirit Element," I told them, but it caused all three of them to exclaim their own protests.

"Don't be stupid. You're not ready to hold two such powerful elements on your own."

"You have no experience with the Spirit Element, honey."

"That's too dangerous, Angel."

I acknowledged what they said with a nod. "You're right, but I see no other way. You two don't have the power to control two elements at once, and I doubt the Spirit Element will listen to Edward calling it."

"No, Bella," Renee said firmly. "I've trusted you to take care of your own training, but as your mentor and protector, I won't allow this." She sighed and then looked over at Charlie. "Charlie will channel Water and Air, and I'll channel Spirit."

"Can you do that?" I asked them, surprised at the suggestion.

She nodded, albeit somewhat uncertain. "Air and Water go well together, so it should be fine. I've connected with the Divine and felt the element of Spirit enough times to be confident I should be able to hold it."

I wasn't happy with what she told me, but I wasn't sure there was another way either, so I simply nodded.

Charlie bent down and cupped the bowl of water in one of his hands while he held the other out from his body to feel the wind coming from in through the window on his palm. Renee only clasped her hands together and pointed them down to the floor before also bending her neck forward. I did as Charlie and held the bowl of dirt in my left hand while I went to the kitchen for the candle.

I used the same telekinesis spell I'd used earlier that evening, but when the candle connected with me, the vibrations felt different, more powerful, as if the magic had gotten stronger. It made me more cautious and I moved as slowly as I could toward the living room.

When I was able to place the terrifying object in the middle of our circle and let it go, I instinctively exhaled with relief.

"It's gotten stronger," I told the others. "I could feel it as I moved it."

Charlie and Renée exchanged a look, but I knew I had to ask about it later. If the magic in the candle was growing stronger, we had to act fast and reverse it before it activated itself.

Each one of us closed our eyes and concentrated on our elements as I began to chant.

 _Magic of the Universe dwells in here_

 _By the power of the Goddess, the almighty seer_

 _By the power of Lightning, our visions are strong_

 _By the power of our ancestors we belong_

 _The earth, the fire, the sea, the sky, and spirit we claim_

 _Our powers roam freely in this domain_

"I call for Terra," I said.

"I call for Ignus," Edward followed up.

"I call for Aqua and Flatus," Charlie continued.

"I call for Animus," Renee finished.

 _We call for you now, attend to us!_

I instantly felt Earth's nurturing magic heat up my hands, and I hoped with everything I had in me that the others had the same connection with their elements because if I opened my eyes to check, I would lose my concentration as well as Earth. While it wasn't a fickle element like Fire, Earth still demanded full concentration when calling for it. In one way, it could be just as merciless as Fire when given the wrong attention.

Earth caressed my cheek lovingly, like a mother's touch and it made me smile. I had the element with me completely and I asked it softly in my head for help. At first, I felt the reluctance the element had to touch the darkness in the middle of our circle, but with a bit of persuasion, it conceded that it needed to be dealt with.

And then, the both of us waited. We waited to feel the taste of the remaining elements. I could taste Fire and how it acted as if all of this was beneath its power, but it was going to help anyway. Air and Water were there as well, but the taste wasn't as strong. I could only hope that it was enough. And through them all, and even in-between, there was the new taste of the Spirit. It felt like all of them, yet something completely different at once.

Together, the nine of us focused on the candle and on its destruction.

It started to pulse, like a beating heart and when it felt our collective magic directed toward it, the pulsing increased in speed and a high-pitched screech escaped it.

It was incredibly uncomfortable and made me feel nauseous to my core, but I held on with everything I had.

The screech became louder and resembled the sound of someone being burned alive. In fact, I could smell the burning flesh and hair, and I was close to throwing up, but I didn't allow myself to stop.

The elements must have felt my predicament because suddenly, I felt all five of them surrounding me. Water and Air became stronger, which in turn invigorated Spirit, and I felt their presence just as strong as the other two.

Earth embraced me, Fire ignited me, Water cooled me down, Air uplifted me, and Spirit supported me.

I had never felt as powerful as I did in that moment.

With one final great push, I directed everything at the candle. The pulsing beat was so fast at this point, it was impossible to distinguish one beat from the other. And then, with a small explosion, the flame on the candle consumed it, and the wax melted completely until it was nothing but a red-brown puddle on the floor.

The elements left me, and I fell onto my knees with a thud and a groan. The bowl of dirt shattered next to me as my hands got weak.

"Bella!" Renee exclaimed and knelt beside me. "Are you okay, honey?"

I wasn't capable of answering her. It felt as if I had been run over by a tank, and that I needed to sleep for a full week to regain enough energy to speak.

I felt Edward kneeling in front of me as well, but my eyes were closed and too heavy to open, so I couldn't acknowledge his presence either. "Angel, can you open your eyes?"

I mentally told him no, but since he couldn't hear that, all I could do was fall forward into his body, exhausted to the bone. He caught me and placed his arms under me so that he was carrying me bridal style. I was completely aware of everything going on around me, but I was just not there physically. My body was unresponsive and I knew that my mentors and Edward must have believed that I was unconscious.

"I'm gonna take her upstairs," Edward said, and there was a tense silence that followed that caused Edward to scoff. "Please, I'm not gonna do anything!" His tone was one of disgust, and I could only guess how my mentors must have looked at him to deserve a reply like that.

The rocking motion of Edward's step lulled me to sleep before he reached the top of the stairs.

 **§~TU~§**

I had no idea what time, or even what day, it was when I finally woke up again. My body felt heavy and stiff and the taste I had in my mouth was absolutely disgusting.

With slight difficulty, I rolled over onto my side with a moan. All of my joints popped loudly, and I tiredly opened my eyes. The room was bright with the afternoon sun shining in through the window, and I had to close my eyes again momentarily to allow my eyes to adjust.

Light fingers glided through my hair, and I rolled onto my back again to find out who was there with me. I was surprised when I was met with Edward's frowning face. I thought Renee and Charlie would have already sent him away. What was more surprising was that they let him stay in my room with me.

All too aware of my terrible breath, I placed my hand over my mouth to conceal it as best as I could. "Hey," I said with a hoarse voice. "I was sure you would have been thrown out already."

He smiled at that, but the frown remained. "If they had so much as tried to throw me out, they would have regretted it," he replied, the Evil in him present in every word.

I reached up and traced the wrinkles in his furrowed brow, trying in vain to smooth it out. "What's wrong?" I asked, but he didn't answer me immediately.

"How are you feeling?" he asked instead.

I thought about it for a second and then shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Normal. Just a little tired still."

He nodded, and finally his face relaxed. It caused me to wonder what exactly had happened after the ritual. It was obvious I was the only one that had been drained, and I wanted to know what the others had witnessed.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Four days."

"What?!" I exclaimed, shocked by his revelation. "But how? I don't understand? Why was I drained of all energy like that?"

The grimace was back, but I didn't try to smooth it out this time.

"What do you remember of the ritual?" he asked cautiously, but I didn't understand why he was treading so lightly.

"Everything. We channeled the elements and destroyed the candle."

He shook his head. "No Angel. It started that way, but halfway through, I felt how Fire abandoned me. I thought it meant that we had failed, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that Charlie and Renee thought the same, but then there was you. You were still performing the ritual _on your own._ "

I didn't understand what he meant and he must have read that on my face.

"You channeled all five elements by yourself. We didn't destroy the candle together. You did that."

I slowly sat up in the bed, and Edward mimicked me so that we sat facing each other instead. I just couldn't believe what he was telling me. I didn't think it was possible. It had never been mentioned in any of my books that a single Witch could channel every element.

"Is that even possible?" I asked incredulously.

Edward let out a humorless chuckle. "It must be since you did it. I'd never heard of it before, and I haven't exactly talked to the two downstairs about it, so I don't know any more than you."

"You mean you've stayed here for four days, just looking at me while I slept? That's kind of creepy," I said to ease the tension a bit, and it helped because Edward laughed, not a full laugh, but a small one that was just the tiniest bit infectious.

"I had to eat and sleep myself, but mostly I've read your books," he finally replied. "I wanted to see if I'd missed something in my own about what you did at the ritual, but there's nothing."

"But there can't be nothing," I insisted.

Edward only shrugged.

I scooted out of bed, not even caring that I was only wearing underwear and a tank top because it was most likely Edward who had undressed me, and he had seen me naked, so there was no point in acting shy. He looked at me hungrily as I dressed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Edward, stop looking at me like that. It's not going to happen until I've made my choice."

He groaned. "At least let me fantasize about it. It's been almost three weeks and you're telling me to wait another three weeks. You should cut me some slack," he said with a smirk.

"And you think this isn't hard on me, too? No pun intended with my choice of words by the way." His smirk grew in size as he laid back down on his back, never taking his eyes off me. "You're not exactly making it easier for me when you lie there smiling at me like that."

"Then why resist it? I'd be more than willing to scratch that itch of yours." He winked, and I threw a shirt at him just to cover that smirk of his.

"Just shut up. I'm going to brush my teeth and then we're going downstairs to talk to Renee and Charlie."

* * *

 **A/N:**

So Bella is even more powerful than anyone first initially thought ... and Edward's teasing the shit out of her! What do you think about that? He's not playing very fair, is he ;-) Well, he's Evil, so I guess he can't help it!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**

A few hints of what may come are dropped in this chapter ;-)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 456

* * *

 **{Chapter 10}**

Edward and I descended the stairs together and then he led me to the garden.

"They've spent every minute out there since you collapsed," he explained. "They're looking for clues as to who left the candle there."

I wanted to know too, and I especially wanted to know who the target was.

The second I stepped outside, I heard Renee's voice. "Oh, Bella, you're awake! Thank goodness," she exclaimed and ran up to me. She embraced me tightly, and then after she released me, she cupped my face in both her hands as she appeared to look for anything that was wrong. "How are you feeling?"

I lowered her hands from my face and tried to give a reassuring smile, but I was starting to feel anxious. "I feel fine. Edward told me what happened at the ritual. Has that ever happened before?"

Before Renee could answer, Charlie joined us. "I've only heard of it once," he said. He didn't hug me or look particularly relieved that I was up and about again. He was just as neutral as he always was.

"Who was that Witch?" I asked, turning to him.

"The Seer."

I frowned. "Who? I haven't read about a Seer in any of my books."

"That's because he was a secret kept by us Originals," Renee said with a scowl directed at Charlie. "The Seer was the Witch who predicted every prophecy ever known. Because of his immense power, we knew it was a necessity to keep him a secret or he would have been in danger."

"But his prophecies are known by every Witch in the world," Edward stated, speaking up for the first time. "Hasn't anyone ever questioned who made the predictions?"

"Of course! There has been quite a few," Charlie replied. "But they've been far between each other and have easily been convinced to stop with some … _persuasion._ "

I didn't understand what Charlie was hinting at, but Edward did.

"You bewitched them," he said with a small smile that caused Charlie to smirk and shrug.

"We did what we had to do."

I suddenly realized we had gotten completely off track. What I wanted to know now was about the Seer's ability to hold the elements on his own. "Okay, back to the ritual. How was I able to channel the elements on my own? How did the Seer do it?"

"That's just the thing, though. How you did it, we don't know." Charlie looked annoyed and I wondered if it was because we had encountered something he had no knowledge of. "Not even a full-powered Witch has nearly enough power to hold more than one element at a time. The Seer had knowledge inside of him that was, unfortunately, never written down, and so even how he did it was a mystery. All of this was lost when he passed."

I looked at my mentors incredulously. "So we know nothing? Nothing at all?"

"I'm afraid so."

The four of us stood silent for a while, and then I sighed. "So what now?"

Renee placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I think that maybe you should write down what you felt when you channeled the elements. It would be good practice for the future."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Our community will expect you to expand our knowledge and history. There will be many books written about you and your accomplishments, so events and experiences written by you will be invaluable."

I gaped at her. "So now I'm expected to become an author as well? I _can't_ write; I suck at it. There's a reason why I've never kept a diary!"

"Then I suggest you start writing one now," Charlie said indifferently.

I huffed and crossed my arms. I was starting to seriously feel fed up with the entire thing, and I hadn't even truly taken the job yet. However, I wasn't in the mood to argue, and when I noticed how both of my mentors kept glancing at Edward, I knew they wanted him to leave. I took the hint, grabbed Edward's hand and led him back inside.

Once by the front door, I turned to him, stood up on my toes and kissed him fervently. When we parted, we were both breathing heavily, and his hands were tight on my waist.

"As much as I hate to say it, you need to go," I said quietly, and while he frowned disapprovingly, I knew he also understood. "Thank you for all your help."

"I didn't exactly do much in the end," he replied. His hands were still clutching my waist, and he didn't relinquish his hold one bit.

"Maybe not, but you didn't hesitate to come here when I needed you."

"Only for you, Bella," he said and his eyes bore into mine.

I sighed, and removed his hands from my body, but I kept them in my own for a few seconds. "I don't want this to be the last time I see you."

Gently, Edward placed a stray lock of hair that had escaped my ponytail behind my ear. "Then it won't be," he promised.

"I love you. No matter what I choose, that will never change."

He leaned forward and gave me one last kiss before he went out the door. I hated that he hadn't said he loved me, too, even though I knew with all my heart that he did.

I could also understand why he didn't. It's not easy to walk away from the one you love, knowing, as he did, that it might be the last time despite any promises we made.

I didn't allow myself to cry. Instead I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and joined my mentors in the kitchen. It didn't matter that I had performed magic that was almost unheard of; I still had a massive amount left to learn, and only three weeks left.

I could only hope that the rest of my training would go smoothly up until the day when I had to choose.

 **§~TU~§**

I woke up too early and felt full of anxiety. My heart was already pounding violently in my chest.

The day I had dreaded for so long was here; Samhain, and I wasn't ready. I still didn't know which side to choose, but I was out of time.

I remained in bed, just looking at the ceiling and hoping to feel the answer inside like Renee said I would. My spirit guide told me I'd already chosen, but what choice had I made? I still only wanted to be with Edward, but it felt wrong to give up on my good side.

Slowly, the dark outside shifted as the sun dawned, but I didn't move. I wanted to stay in bed all day, and just ignore the outside world, but since I knew that Renee would knock on my door and tell me to get up, I sat up and looked around the room.

I needed to center myself, and so I decided to try some meditation. Hopefully, it would help me focus.

Candles were already spread all over my room as I had made it a habit to practice single rituals whenever I was alone. My magic had improved immensely since I first began practicing, and I had pretty much perfected projection at this point.

I hadn't closed my curtains the night before, so there was too much light in the room to relax, and so I looked toward my window and envisioned the curtains closed. They effortlessly began to slide together on their own, and I smiled at my accomplishment.

Next, I concentrated on each candle, imagining them burning, and with a small _'poof'_ for each candle, they lit up one by one.

Meditating on the bed wasn't the ideal place, so I climbed down on the floor. Then I reached inside my nightstand drawer where I had a small bowl of dried and powdered lily of the valley, and crossed my legs as I centered my focus on the beating of my heart and my breathing.

I lit the dried herbs with the closest candle, blew out the flame so that they were only glowing and placed the bowl on the floor in front of me so that the scented smoke traveled up to my nose, and I took several deep inhalations while chanting.

 _By the power of the soul, soothing and strong,_

 _Peace flows freely where I belong,_

 _By the power of the body, hot, fierce and clean,_

 _Balance the energies of all who live in-between,_

 _Thunder clap and lightning strike,_

 _Balance fill me up with peace and light_

I continued to chant over and over for at least thirty minutes, and when I finally felt my heart calm down and my anxiety leave, I slowly opened my eyes and exhaled softly.

The herbs had burned up and the smoke and heavy scent filled the room. I felt calmer than I had felt for weeks, and that was why I stood up to blow out the candles and open the curtains back up without magic. It helped me to maintain my relaxed state of mind.

There was a soft knock on the door. I already knew it was Renee and I called that she could come in.

When she opened the door, I noticed how she had some black lace fabric draped over her arm. She smiled gently at me.

"Good morning, honey. How are you feeling today?"

I decided there was no reason to lie. "Nervous. Confused. Divided. I don't feel ready."

She nodded with a concerned frown. "It's normal. Most Witches feel that way when they go through the claiming."

"I doubt they have as much pressure on them as I do, though."

"True," she agreed, not downplaying the importance of the day by giving me perfunctory reassurances. "If it's any help at all, I'm positive you will make the right choice for you. Don't worry about what others expect of you, not today. You will have plenty of time to worry about that later. Today is all about what you want. What feels right for _you_."

I turned away from her and looked out through the window.

It was quiet outside, but the few houses close by were decorated for Halloween with pumpkins on the porches and ghosts hanging from the trees. The sight made me smile.

There would be many trick-or-treaters tonight, and I remembered how Angela and I used to dress up every Halloween even though we didn't go out ourselves. It was a tradition of ours up until the year we stopped being friends.

I hadn't dressed up for Halloween since I started to hang out with Edward's coven. They'd always been busy, and while I hadn't understood why I was never invited to their " _get-togethers"_ before, it hadn't bothered me too much since they never talked about any of it. However, since I'd spent the last three Halloween's on my own, it had felt useless to make any real effort.

I knew differently now. I knew why I hadn't been invited and the significance of this day, not just for me personally, but for all Witches. My new insight made me want to rediscover my love for this holiday and it would help me to get my thoughts on something else for a moment.

"I want to decorate the house. It doesn't have to be all out, but I definitely want to carve a pumpkin," I told Renee while still looking outside at the endless decorations littering the other houses' lawns.

"Of course. Whatever you want. You might want to wait with getting dressed then. I'll hang your dress here on the door."

I turned around. "What dress?" I asked and saw how she took the fabric over her arm and hung it up to reveal a stunning floor-length black lace dress. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen.

"It's a tradition for us Witches to dress up to the nines when we go through the claiming. In our community, it's the biggest event. Nothing tops it. I took the liberty to buy this for you before we moved here. I hope that's okay."

I nodded, feeling completely speechless as I reached out to touch the lace. I didn't know how, but Renee had found a dress that was _me_ in every way possible. It had that edge to it that my style had evolved into after freshman year, it was subtly sexy, and of course, black. I absolutely loved it.

"I can't wait to put it on," I said, and it caused Renee to smile again.

"I'll start getting everything ready. You can change when you've carved your pumpkin."

She left and went down the stairs, and once I had put on a sweater over my tank top and pulled a pair of sweats over my legs, I followed her. She was already gone, but on the kitchen counter, there was already a huge pumpkin waiting for me, and I wondered if Renee had known for some time that this was something I'd want to do. I couldn't see any other explanation because there was no way she'd had the time to go out and purchase a pumpkin in the amount of time it took me to get dressed.

Instead of questioning it, I accepted it. I grabbed a sharp knife and a spoon out of one of the drawers and sat down in front of the pumpkin.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I concentrated. The design had to be perfect, and I wouldn't stop until it looked exactly like I wanted.

It had been a heavy task to hollow out the huge orange fruit, but it kept me distracted, which was exactly what I was aiming for.

Finally, the pumpkin was sporting the classic laughing grin and I smiled at my creation as I wiped my sweaty hair out of my face with the back of my hand. I wanted to place it by the front door, but I was sticky and sweaty, so I decided to take a shower first, and also change into my gorgeous new dress, before doing so. I left the kitchen and went back upstairs to fetch a towel and then locked myself into the only bathroom in the cabin, which was opposite the living room, underneath the stairs.

The shower was absolutely what I needed, and I stayed under the spray just a few minutes longer than necessary to stall the inevitable just a bit. The time was drawing closer. I could feel it.

I re-dressed in my sweats and tank-top so that I could go to my room and change, but before I had the chance to climb the stairs, I felt a sharp pain in my midsection that I could only compare to the feeling of being stabbed with something very sharp. I lost my grip on the railing and fell down on the floor, my arms clutching my stomach. I couldn't breathe, but Renee must have heard me fall because she came running just a few seconds later.

"Bella?" She crouched down next to me and called for Charlie. "Oh goodness! Charlie, it's happening!"

She placed an arm around me to help me stand up and led me to the couch so I could lie down.

Charlie came up from the basement and looked at me with confusion written all over his face. "Now? But it's too early," he stated.

Renee turned to him with a glare. "Her powers don't seem to agree with you, so are you just going to stand there or are you gonna help?" she threw at him, but I couldn't have them fighting now. It felt as if I was dying but their fighting was still grating on my nerves.

I grabbed Renee's arm and she turned to me. "Don't … fight! _Help_ … me!" It took everything I had to muster up the strength to get those few words out.

Both of them immediately ran into action. Renee hurried upstairs while Charlie grabbed the book with the claiming spell from the shelf.

When Renee came back down, she had the lead pot with her, and she had filled it with dried herbs which she lit on fire. Then she brought out the dagger she had placed in the lining of her pants and grabbed my hand. With a quick motion, she sliced my hand open, but instead of dripping my blood into the pot as I expected, she took a handful of the burning herbs and placed them in my palm over the bleeding wound.

However, there was no heat that could burn me and the slice didn't even sting.

Charlie joined us and held the book open to the section with the spell in front of me. I didn't know what he wanted me to do, and the shakes going through my body were so bad, I couldn't form the words to ask either.

Renee took my bleeding, herb-filled hand and pressed it, palm down, against the pages of the book.

"You have to choose now, Bella," she said. "There is no more time."

I was out of time, and I had no idea what to choose. I wasn't ready for it, but I had to be. Completely terrified, I looked at both spells.

Neither of them seemed to call more for me than the other because I didn't want to be either good or evil. I felt comfortable with both as they were each a half of me, and I just couldn't choose.

The spells didn't differentiate too much from each other, and after I memorized them both, I mashed them together in my head. I wasn't going to settle for one side if I could possibly have both.

I had already performed near impossible magic. Maybe I could do it again.

With new determination, I closed my eyes and let my choice fill me up from my toes to the top of my head.

 _On this day, on this hour, I call for Ancient Power_

 _Good and Evil reside in me,_

 _Give me both and set me free_

"Bella, what are you doing?" Renee asked and tried to remove my hand from the book, but I held onto it tightly.

 _Let my powers rise,_

 _Let it been seen through my eyes_

"She's calling for both sides," Charlie exclaimed, but he didn't try to stop me.

"But that's unheard of," Renee cried out.

 _Hear it in my voice,_

 _This is my choice!_

There was a whirlwind around me that threw both Renee and Charlie backward as if it was protecting me, and I could feel how my strength came back to me. The pain disappeared and I felt filled with energy.

When it reached its peak, it took my breath away and I gasped for it. The whirlwind finally faded away, and I could breathe normally again.

"Wow," I said to myself when I understood it was over. I could feel the power, both good and evil, course through me.

Charlie and Renee looked at me with wide, wary eyes and waited as if they expected me to do or say something.

"What?" I asked.

Renee blinked. "Uh..." She swallowed and tried again. "How are you feeling?"

I gave her a pleased smile. "I feel great. Better than great, actually."

"Isabella, what you just did has never been done before," Charlie said from his spot on the floor.

I turned my attention to him. "Yes, and?"

"And we don't know what this means. You're the first Witch ever to claim power from both sides."

I shrugged because I already knew this. " _I_ know what it means," I said confidently.

"You do?" Renee asked.

I nodded. "Yes, it means everything isn't divided between good and evil. You said yourself that my destiny is to lead Witches into the new age. _This_ is the new age. And none of those old _stupid_ rules apply to me."

Charlie and Renee were speechless as I turned around and left the room. There was only one person I wanted to meet right now, and I took my phone out of my pocket to call him. I wasn't going to text this time. I needed to hear his voice. It had been too long since the last time because he had left us alone after we said goodbye.

Only three rings went through before I heard him in my ear.

"Angel?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

She's a full-power Witch now! Welcome to the deep-diving part of this story. Let us begin :-D


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:**

I have to start by apologizing to all of you! Like, I can't even tell you how sorry I am that it has taken me so long to put this chapter out there.

There is no excuse, except that I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew, I think.

This is not the only story I'm writing or posting at the moment. I am also writing and posting a drabble fic called A Royal Duty and a mystery fic called The Mystery of El Jardín AND a collab fic with cloe marrie called The Runaways …

I am also getting countless pm's which are pleading me to update Forbidden Attraction.

It's becoming a bit too much, and I have to shamefully admit that the 3 stories above have been my priority.

I'm still gonna post this story, and I'm gonna try to do it more often than I have!ou how sorry I am that it has taken me so long to put this chapter out there.

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 270

* * *

 **{Chapter 11}**

A knock on the front door resounded through the house, and I went to open it.

Edward stood outside and looked rather confused. "Is it … is it over?" he asked.

"Yes, can't you feel it?"

He shook his head. "No. The power around you is much stronger, but not different." He stepped closer and looked me over as if he tried to find a clue or something like that. It caused me to laugh. "So what did you choose?"

I smirked. "Neither. Both. Whichever way you wanna call it, I have power from both sides."

His eyes widened. "I … didn't know that was possible."

I shrugged, my smirk still in place. "Well, you should know by now that I like to challenge what others call _im_ possible."

Edward chuckled incredulously. "But what does it mean?"

I stepped closer so that our bodies were almost flush against each other and since I was wearing heels, I didn't need to stretch up to whisper against his somewhat open mouth. "It means whatever we want it to mean." Then I grabbed the back of his head and kissed him like I'd wanted to kiss him for weeks. It wasn't chaste, or sweet, or romantic. It was needy, aggressive, and all-consuming. It was us.

He moaned and I took the opportunity to deepen the kiss and met his tongue with my own. His hands slid from my back down over the curve of my ass while my hands grabbed fistfuls of his hair. I knew I was tugging quite hard on it, but I didn't really care if he thought it was painful, and anyway, Edward seemed to like it.

He reacted by forcibly pushing me up against the wall closest to the door. I gasped at his rough handling, but I still enjoyed it and wanted more.

I knew, however, that we were about to get carried away, and we weren't alone in the house. I felt conflicted between not caring about Renee and Charlie and just let Edward have his way with me right there in the hallway, and also wanting to show some respect toward my mentors by not having sex while they were present.

It was a difficult decision to make, but I also knew that Edward and I would get plenty of opportunities in the future, because there was absolutely nobody that could forbid us to be together now. The law said that Good Witches and Evil Witches could not be together. I was neither, so it didn't apply to me.

Reluctantly, I removed Edward's hands from their place just underneath my breasts and turned my head away so that I could speak.

"We'll have to continue this later," I said, but I was breathless, so it didn't sound very convincing.

"I'd prefer continuing now," Edward replied against my neck before biting down hard enough to make it sting but not enough to break the skin.

He was obviously not going to stop willingly unless I persuaded him somehow, so I stroke his hair and chuckled. "Believe me, with what I hope we'll do later, you'll want us completely alone."

This caused him to stop what he was doing to think about my words, and then he let me go with a groan. "You're a much worse tease now than you've ever been before."

My smile widened and I bit my lip just to make him look at my mouth. "I know. You'd better get used to it," I said and pushed on his chest so that I could move away from the wall.

"Well, if we're not going to succumb to our desires, what did you have in mind for the day?" Edward asked, and then it appeared as if he noticed my dress for the first time since he'd arrived. "You look good enough to eat."

I looked over my shoulder at him and winked. "I'm afraid you'll have to go hungry for a few more hours, because _you_ are going to invite me to your coven's Samhain ritual."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because I want to see what you've been doing every time I haven't been invited. I am finally a full-powered Witch, but I only know of coven magic in theory. I need to see it."

He looked slightly uncomfortable and ran his hand through his hair, which had become a disarray after I tugged on it. "I don't know. Only coven members are usually allowed. When I promised I'd take you with me one day, I was hoping you'd be completely evil and become initiated. I don't know how the others will react to you being there now..." Edward trailed off when he saw my look and actually took a step back. I was furious that he thought he could keep me away.

"If you think for one second I care about any of what you just said, you're mistaken. If I am going to be a leader, I _will_ observe what the covens are up to, and you can't stop me. I had just hoped you'd show me willingly."

Edward held up his hands as if he was ready to protect himself, and I wondered what he felt threatened by. "Angel, calm down. If it's so important, of course I will take you," he said cautiously, and I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "Are Renee and Charlie still here?"

I became even more confused by his change of subject, but I nodded anyway. I was still angry, but I wanted to know why he acted the way he did. "Yes, they're in the kitchen."

"Charlie? Renee? Can you come here?" Edward called out, and my mentors immediately came up behind me, but when I turned around to look at them, they froze up and then shared wondering looks. "You see it, too, don't you," Edward asked, and I turned back around to him.

I could feel my anger igniting again because there was something they weren't sharing that concerned me. "See what?" I spat angrily.

Edward approached me slowly, again with his hands held up as if in preparation to protect himself, and when he stood right in front of me, he turned me so that I looked into the mirror attached to the wall.

What I saw reflected back at me wasn't what I had expected.

It was me, obviously, but my eyes were a swirling icy blue that glowed. The reflection scared me and I took several steps back until I hit the opposite wall. The blue started to fade until my eyes were once again the chocolate brown I was used to.

"What the hell?" I breathed out, mostly to myself but I knew the others heard it. Once again I turned to my mentors. "What the hell was that?" I wasn't angry anymore, only scared.

Charlie appraised me up and down, and then cocked his head slightly to the side. "Renee, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.

Renee swallowed before replying. "I think I do." They exchanged another look before both of them closed in on me. I didn't know what they were going to do, so my reaction was to step back, but Edward was behind me, so I was stopped by his body.

"What are you doing?"

Charlie and Renee reached out and placed one hand on each of my shoulders, Charlie on the left and Renee on the right. As soon as we were connected, it felt as if I had been electrocuted. My heart began pounding and I felt out of breath.

I didn't know if my mentors experienced the same feelings because both of their eyes were closed as they chanted underneath their breaths.

When they finally let me go, I could breathe again and I looked at them questioningly. "What the fuck's going on?"

They didn't look at me, only at each other with weird expressions on their faces. "She's..." Renee started to say.

"...an Original," Charlie finished, and Edward inhaled sharply behind me.

"What?!" I exclaimed in total shock. "How is that even possible?"

Suddenly, Charlie began to laugh and it caused us all to startle because the sound was so unexpected. "Well, I'll be damned!" he said in complete awe. "You just created a new kind of Witch with your choice. The first Witch ever to choose both sides." He crossed his arms and looked me up and down as if it was the first time he truly saw me. "I have to admit, I'm impressed."

"That was never my intention," I insisted. "I mean, doesn't this mean that I have to live forever like you two?" I was beginning to freak out, because if there was one thing I absolutely didn't want, then it was to live forever.

Without a conscious thought, I looked at Edward and realized that if I had to go on living, it would mean that I would outlive him; watch him grow old and die, and one of the reasons I chose both sides would be completely meaningless.

Renee squeezed my shoulder. I was convinced she somehow knew where my thoughts were. "That would be your choice only. Nobody can demand you to give up your powers and become immortal, but it would be comforting for new Witches to know that they could seek advice from you if they need it. You're the only one, Bella. Only you can explain what it feels like to have both powers inside you."

I buried my face in my hands and started to shake my head. "I can't think about this now. It's too much. I just claimed my full powers. I need to focus on that first." I raised my head again and looked first at my mentors and then at Edward. "For the rest of the night, let's just pretend this _'Original'_ crap never happened. You _will_ take me to your coven's ritual, and that's the last I want to hear of it!" My words were final, and even though I asked for my new status as an Original to be forgotten, I suspected it was partially the reason that Edward didn't continue to argue with me.

He surrendered with a shrug, and just like that, he was back to being the carefree bastard I loved. "If that's what you want. But be prepared that you probably won't be warmly welcomed, and I _have_ warned you, so don't ask me to defend you if things get ugly."

I scoffed. "I am more than capable of handling my own fights."

"Bella," Renee interjected. "You're talking about crashing a ritual feast solely consisting of Evil Witches that are far more advanced and experienced with the craft. If they feel you're a threat, you will be entirely on your own. I don't think you realize how dangerous that is."

"They're my friends," I insisted. "I went to school with them. I doubt it will come down to a fight," I said confidently.

"Not all of them are your friends," Edward admitted, and I turned back around, frowning at him. "My coven is one of the largest in the country, and most of them, you've never met. And that includes my parents, who are the leaders."

"Your parents are the leaders? Are you serious?" I asked, suddenly feeling less confident about going with Edward. His father had killed my parents, after all, and was my mother's intended fiance. That was a recipe for disaster on its own, because there was no guarantee how he would react to having me around his coven, but also, I didn't know how _I_ would react to seeing him; knowing what he did.

Edward simply nodded, and then another realization came to me. "They were the ones who told you to try and sway my choice, aren't they? _They_ told you to seduce me?"

Once again, Edward nodded. "Yes. It was a direct order from my father. He spotted you on your first day of high school, and he instantly knew that you were Marie's daughter. You look exactly like her."

I frowned. "How do you know that?"

"My father told me, and he also showed me a picture he had of her."

I had to sit down, and I went into the living room. All the revelations were making me dizzy as I tried to process them. The others followed me, but they remained standing.

"Edward, what would have happened if you refused your father's order?" I asked because I needed to know what kind of man I was about to deal with.

"He would have terminated me from the coven and made sure I could never join another, but that's only because I'm his son. Any other Witch he would have killed without a second thought. Actually, it's likely he would have had me killed, as well." Edward said this with a detached tone, but it didn't sound like he felt hurt his own father could possibly have done this. It was more as if what he said was just the way it was.

"His own son?" I asked incredulously. To me, it sounded preposterous.

"It's quite simple, Angel. If you disobey a direct order from your coven leader you will have to face the consequences."

I understood it to a point, but it was also a bit extreme.

I just knew that I would have to face this man at some point anyway, so why not get it over with. I inhaled deeply and stood back up. "How do you think your father would react if he were to meet me tonight?"

"Well, that's the thing, he's kind of expecting you to show up."

"Why?"

"Because he believes that you would have chosen evil beyond any doubt. He's convinced you have more Marie than Nicholas in you."

I couldn't understand from where he got that idea at all, and it must have shown on my face. "What did he base that conclusion on?"

Edward shrugged noncommittally. "Well, you've surrounded yourself with only Evil Witches for the past four years, and he also knows about us."

"What do you mean? What is it that he knows about us?" I had to ask, but I had my suspicions, even though it made me cringe to imagine Edward having that conversation with his father.

Edward smirked because he knew exactly what I was asking. "He knows we've had sex, Angel. And that's exactly why he expects you. To him, Marie's heritage and that part of my magic that you have inside you should have been enough for you to choose evil."

"Will he be disappointed when he realizes that didn't happen?" While I wasn't as uncomfortable as I expected about the topic, I didn't exactly want to linger on that particular detail either.

"A bit. He's been hoping that you would join the coven and be its new leader with me one day. That won't be possible now, but your choice is better than if you had become completely good."

Renee rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with being good," she mumbled to herself, and I couldn't hold in my chuckle.

Edward looked at her with an amused glint in his eyes. "Exactly. It's too perfect. Nothing interesting with it at all."

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't say anything else while Charlie laughed quietly.

"Okay," I said to get the attention back to the subject at hand. "I'm still coming with you tonight, and whatever happens happens. Do I need to bring anything?"

"That depends," he replied. "Do you have any kind of amulet?"

I frowned. "No. What for?"

Charlie was the one who replied and I turned my eyes to him. "It can help you during ritual work and direct your powers to where you want them to focus."

I looked back at Edward, curious to if he used amulets. "Do you have one?" I asked when I couldn't see one on my own.

"I do." He reached into his pocket and fished out a silver amulet hanging on a leather cord. I leaned closer to see what it was, and it was a pentagram within a larger pentagram. The points of the larger star was adorned with blood-red rubies.

"What does it do?" I inquired, intrigued by another facet of magic I hadn't encountered before.

"It empowers and protects," Edward said. "It makes my spells stronger as well as keeps other Witches out of my work. I don't like it when others stick their noses in my business." He pocketed the amulet again, and I looked into his eyes. They were guarded, and I wondered briefly what secrets he was keeping.

Instead of asking that, though, I pretended as if I hadn't noticed anything unusual with him. I knew I'd find out what he was keeping from me eventually.

"Is it necessary for me to have an amulet?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. It's not for every Witch, and with what I've seen you do so far, I doubt any amulet can make you any stronger, or that you would even need it."

I smirked at him, pleased with the indirect compliment he gave me, and being me, I had to tease him. "Why Edward, how kind of you to say that. Are you sure you're Evil?"

He rolled his eyes at me, and I laughed. "Are you ready?" he asked instead of responding to my teasing, and I nodded, excited that I was finally going to see what I had been excluded from for four years.

I turned to my mentors. "Don't wait up for me," I told them, attempting a joke, but it was shot down before I'd gotten the whole sentence out.

"Not likely," Charlie said. "Besides, I'm coming with you."

"What?!" I exclaimed in shock and outrage. "Why? I don't need a fucking baby-sitter!"

Charlie looked unimpressed by my outburst. "It's not for your sake that I'm coming along, Isabella."

"Then why?" I asked and crossed my arms petulantly.

"It's Samhain, and as stated, Marcus' coven is the largest in the States. I need to attend to represent us Originals."

So many things were suddenly clear to me. "That's why you guys always went out on Halloween, isn't it?" I turned to Renee. "I assume you'll go, too."

She nodded. "Yes. Since Good Witches don't form covens the same way Evil Witches do, the ritual I will attend will be a much smaller affair, but no less important. We're about seven Witches in this area, but we will communicate with Witches in other districts through our close bond with the spiritual element."

"What exactly happens at these rituals?" I asked, and Renee smiled dazzlingly.

"Hopefully, you'll come along with me next year and experience it yourself, but basically, we connect with nature and become one with the Divine. We even communicate with the Goddess herself. It's very cleansing for the soul."

Edward leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "A whole lot of bullshit if you ask me," which caused me to giggle.

"Next year," I replied to Renee with my giggle still in my throat, but it appeased her anyway.

Edward was still leaning close to me, and his warm breath against my neck was very distracting, but before it got to me completely, I stepped away and turned around to face him and Charlie. "Let's go."

* * *

 **A/N:**

So she's not only neutral, she's also a new kind of Original. She's got even more on her shoulders now, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on what will happen at the coven gathering with the Evil Witches (even though, I technically don't deserve to hear from you, since you have not heard from me)

I will make it up to you, though!

All of you who review or pm me will receive a teaser from ch. 12!

So much love and kisses and smooches and hugs your way!  
Love you all!

MarieCarro


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:**

Here I am, finally updating this story again, and I feel so guilty that I am not updating more regularly, but I do hope you'll forgive me anyway for all the juicy stuff you'll get in this chap :)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 259

* * *

 **{Chapter 12}**

As Edward drove us to the site of the ritual, I felt strangely calm and collected. I had expected my heart to race in my chest and my hands to shake, but neither of them did.

My excitement was still there, but not as forceful as it had been.

I was aware that it would be the first time I saw everyone again since I found out the truth, and a part of me wondered if I would look at them differently. Even more important to me was the question of whether _they_ would look at _me_ differently, now.

Looking over at Edward as he focused on the road while still appearing to be the picture of ease with one elbow propped up on the edge of the open window, I realized I had no idea how he was looking at our relationship now that the biggest secrets were out of the way. He and I had been dating steadily for almost a year, but it was still so much I didn't know about him. Ever since I first started to get to know him, he had projected a careful mask and I didn't know which parts to believe were true.

There was also a big part of me that was unsure if I wanted to know all of that. I wasn't naïve enough to believe that he hadn't done horrible things, things I probably couldn't even fathom, but I didn't want to ignore it either. The good half of me wouldn't allow it.

I inhaled deeply to rid myself of the uncomfortable feelings that had started to build up inside me, because I knew it wasn't the right moment to focus on that. I had bigger issues to deal with at present; mainly, meeting the man that had made me an orphan.

A conflict was raging inside me over meeting Marcus Masen, because while I wanted him to accept me as a permanent fixture in his son's life, I also wanted to punch him in the face for everything he caused in my life. I was a bit curious as to what he could tell me about my mother, as well. He was, after all, the closest connection I'd ever had with Marie Sinclair-Alistair.

We had been driving for about an hour, and the day had turned to night, when Edward pulled off the main road and drove up to a pair of large wrought-iron gates. He stopped the car and got out without a word, which caused me to frown before hesitantly following.

I joined him where he stood by one of the stone pillars the gates were anchored to. I saw him pull a dagger with an ornate hilt I hadn't noticed before from his belt and I couldn't hold in my small, but audible gasp when I saw the moonlight glint off the sharp steel edge of the blade.

"What are you gonna do with that?" I asked softly. We hadn't spoken for so long, and the quiet of the night made it impossible for me to speak in any volume above a whisper.

He didn't reply, but I got my answer anyway when I saw how he used the very end of the blade to pierce his fingertip and ruby-red blood seeped out. "Give me your hand, Bella," he said then, and instantly understood he wanted to do the same to me. I didn't like that everyone seemed so keen on slicing up my hands all the time, but I had come to realize that blood magic was very common, and the most potent magic because nothing could penetrate a spell cast with blood.

I held out my hand to him, and he grabbed it and started to massage my forefinger until the fingertip was red and blood-filled before he made a small cut that stung like a bitch and squeezed several dark drops onto the blade. Then, looking up at me with a smirk, he brought my bleeding finger to his mouth and licked it up.

I hadn't expected that at all, and my instant reaction was desire. There wasn't a single part of me that didn't want him in that moment, I didn't know if it was because of what he did, or because of the sexy smirk he maintained while doing it.

I let out a small, breathless laugh. "Why do you keep doing that to me?"

He shrugged as if he had no idea what I meant. "Doing what?"

I rolled my eyes and his smile widened. He then squeezed his own finger to drop his own blood on the blade where it mixed with mine. He turned back to the stone pillar and stuck the stained blade into a crack in the stone, which was about where an intercom would be placed at the gate of a normal person's house.

Nothing happened, and I knew I had to stop expecting light and sound effects, because I always ended up disappointed.

But then, the hinges of the gates groaned as they slowly swung open, and Edward reattached the dagger to his belt, took hold of my wrist and led me back to the car. Once back inside, I had to ask what he had just done, although I had my suspicions, remembering reading about the procedure in one of my books.

"What exactly was it we just did?"

"My father is nothing if not careful to keep the unwanted out during nights like these. Our blood works as an identification, and only those invited can be let through the spells cast around the grounds. When I mixed our blood on the blade, it was an indication that you are here with me, since you didn't receive your own invitation."

"But wouldn't that mean that everyone invited can bring someone _unwanted_ along?"

Edward was shaking his head before I got the entire question out. "No. That is a privilege reserved for specific members of the coven."

The mansion we drove up to was the most gorgeous house I'd ever seen. Actually, calling it a mere house was an insult in my mind, and I decided I would rather refer to it as a castle. It was impossible to determine from the outside how many stories there were, and I didn't even dare to guess how many rooms it had.

Since it was night, I wasn't able to take in the full effect of it, but I believe it was constructed out of gray or dark-red stone. It had turrets and slate roofs and everything else a castle could possibly possess.

Needless to say, it was grand, and absolutely, breathtakingly, beautiful. I was thoroughly impressed.

"Wow, what is this place?" I asked without taking my eyes off it as we got closer.

"This is Stoneheart Mansion. The coven's gathering place, you might call it. It's been in my family for generations."

My head turned so fast in his direction, I was afraid I would crack something in my neck. " _This_ is your _family's_ house? Like you've _lived_ here? You grew up here?" I was so shocked, my eyebrows was almost in my hairline.

Edward started to laugh at me. "No, Angel, my family never lived here while I grew up. It's too large for a family of three. However, Stoneheart has always been where the coven has met up for rituals and meetings, and my family has always been the landlord, I guess. Even before we became the coven leaders, that was always our position."

We got out of the car and walked up to the huge entrance doors, and I was still waiting for my nervousness to make a show; but I felt nothing but calm inside. Even when the door opened and revealed a middle-aged woman with strong eyebrows, green-blue eyes, and ash-brown hair, I felt calm. I had never met her before, but her expression wasn't the most pleasant one as she appraised me, as if I was lacking in some way. I refused to let it to get to me, though.

This woman had no idea what I was capable of.

When I didn't show her any sign of weakness, she shifted her eyes to Edward. "Well, Edward, I can't say I see the appeal, but if she is who you want, who am I to argue."

Edward opened his mouth to reply, but I beat him to the punch. "Excuse me, who are you to speak to me like that? What gives you the right?"

A familiar voice spoke up behind us. "You'd better watch out, Chelsea. She bites when she wants to. She was raised by me, after all." Charlie appeared next to me with an amused smile stretching across his face. "And to answer you, Isabella, this is Chelsea Masen; Marcus's wife."

Chelsea gave me a tight, unpleasant smile and probably expected me to stutter out an apology as I had just talked back to my boyfriend's mother, but there wasn't a chance in hell that I would apologize for standing up for myself against her obvious insult.

Therefore, I reciprocated with an equally tight smile and held out my hand for her to shake. "Pleasure to meet you," I told her sarcastically, and my tone caused both men at my sides to crack up and laugh.

Chelsea's eye twitched slightly, but she said no more as she stood to the side to let us in. I didn't hesitate to enter, and when Edward stopped in front of his mother to say something in a low, hushed voice that I didn't catch, I continued walking alongside Charlie toward the sound of people talking.

I didn't want to appear out of place, or uncomfortable in any way, so while I took in the beauty of the interior, I kept my face a passive mask. This caused Charlie to give me a questioning look and then shake his head with a small chuckle.

"I'm glad you find me so amusing," I told him, steadily getting tired of being laughed at. "Care to share what I did wrong this time?"

A few turned their heads as we entered the room, which was filled with more people than I had expected, and I heard a couple of gasps when the realization of who I was came to them. I already knew I was the mirror image of my mother, and these people used to be her kin, so my appearance was most likely a shock.

I turned my head to look at Charlie, but true to his character, he had disappeared among the crowd, and I was left alone in the entrance to peruse the room filled with Witches, and my nerves finally made themselves known

Then, the gasps were replaced with frowns and confusion, and I understood I probably still appeared as an Undecided to the entire lot, since I didn't exude solely Evil vibes.

As the word of my arrival spread, the buzz in the room died down.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears, but I remained standing steadily in the entrance and scanned the room discreetly. I thought I saw Alice's artificial ombre red hair, but movement to my left had me turn my head to see a very handsome, dark-haired man with brown eyes approach me. His posture was straight and his walk was as confident as it could get.

There was a gleam in his eyes that I couldn't identify, and the Evil waves I felt coming from him were the strongest I'd ever felt. Instinctively, half of me wanted to take a step back as he came closer, but I ignored the urge and waited for him to reach me.

When he did, he towered over me, but I refused to step back for a reason as insignificant as looking at him without tilting my head back. I gave him the bravest look I could muster, and we were locked in a sort of staring contest, neither of us saying anything.

A hand on my lower back alerted me to Edward's presence; still, I didn't avert my eyes from the man in front of me, and Edward made no move to break up the standoff between us. However, the man must have understood I wasn't going to back down, because he suddenly smiled.

It was not a kind smile.

"I already know who you are, Isabella, but allow me to introduce myself." He took a hold of my hand and brought it up to his mouth and placed a light kiss on the back of it. "I'm Marcus Masen, and it's a real pleasure to finally meet you in person. I've heard so much about you!"

I smiled back. "Yes, I've been told you were keeping tabs on me." I didn't know what possessed me to act so bravely despite the fact that the man was intimidating to the point of almost looking ridiculous.

The chuckle that escaped him was so familiar, and while I couldn't detect any physical attributes that Edward had inherited from his parents, apart from his height perhaps, the manner with which I had been received by them both screamed of their relation.

"She is an absolute delight, Edward. Don't let this one go," Marcus told his son without taking his eyes off me.

Edward's hand moved from my back to settle on my waist and held me tightly against his side. "Believe me, sir, she's not going anywhere."

"I have to ask, though," Marcus continued. "I can taste the Evil presence in your magic. It's very potent, but polluted by an equal taste of Good. The power inside you is too strong for you to remain an Undecided, so how can it be that both sides reside in you?" he inquired curiously, but his guarded tone revealed to me how suspicious he truly was of me, probably because he didn't know where he had me yet.

And I would make sure he never knew either. "Because I wanted them both," I replied. "I didn't like being told I had to choose, so I didn't."

Marcus raised his brows in a way that told me he wasn't altogether shocked, but leaned more toward that feeling than anything else. "Are you suggesting that you are neither Good nor Evil?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm _telling_ you." Marcus looked at Edward to back up my words, as he didn't seem to really believe me, and the gesture only served to annoy me. "Mr. Masen, I mean no disrespect, but I doubt Edward has more knowledge about me than I do."

I felt Edward's hand tighten on my waist as his father's eyes hardened.

"Of course not," Marcus said. "But Edward isn't merely my son, he is also my second in command, and I rely on the information he can give me for situations I'm not around for."

I nodded. "That may be true, but once again, why ask for confirmation from a secondhand source? Do you do that to everyone or is it only me you don't trust?" I challenged him.

Maybe I was infinitely stupid to challenge the leader of a coven of Evil Witches, but I'd never had much patience for authority figures. I reserved my respect for those who showed me respect in return, and so far, I'd only felt belittled in Marcus' company.

His brown eyes hardened in reaction to my words—he was obviously displeased with my attitude—but I felt that I didn't owe this man anything. He wasn't _my_ leader, and even though he was likely my future father-in-law, I wasn't going to bend backwards and worship the ground underneath his feet because of it.

It was _my_ destiny to lead, and since I wasn't more of one side, I would become a leader for _all_. Including Marcus Masen. I promised myself that one day, this man would have to answer to me.

He didn't answer my challenge, and I tilted my head back defiantly. "I want to make it clear from the start that if ever there is anything that concerns me in any way at all, it is highly unnecessary to look for information from others, as I am my own person, and I would very much appreciate being treated as one."

Marcus leaned his head to the side and made a small deceptive bow. "My _sincerest_ apologies if I've offended you. That was not my intention, Miss Swan," he said, and his sarcasm made me want to spite him even more.

"I don't go by 'Swan' anymore," I said with a smile. I already knew how he would react to my next words and I wanted to enjoy it. "My name is Isabella Alistair now; to honor my parents."

His eyes narrowed at my words, just like I predicted. The mere mention of my father's name crawled under his skin, but I didn't allow him to spew out the venom he so obviously wanted to.

"Now, Mr. Masen, I'm only here to observe your coven, and refuse to discuss my private matters any further with you. I might participate later, but for now, I'll just sit down and watch." I didn't ask if this was okay with him. I simply extracted myself from Edward's hold and sat down in a high-backed chair against the wall that gave me an overview of the entire room.

The tension was practically palpable, and everyone appeared to be frozen in place until Edward moved toward me. He remained standing as he leaned down close to my ear. "I swear, if you don't let me have you tonight, I'll go completely insane," he whispered.

I smiled. "Is that so?" I asked teasingly. "I never knew it turned you on hearing me tell people off."

He groaned. "Angel, everything you do is sexy, but seeing you act as a figure of authority in front of my father was almost too much for me to bear." He leaned farther down and consumed my mouth with his, but for once, I didn't let myself get as lost in it as I usually did. We weren't alone, and this meeting was for the sake of me learning, as well as, presenting myself to the Evil community.

After a few seconds, I leaned away. It was apparent in the way he leaned with me that he didn't want me to end the kiss, and in that small movement, I had my answer to how he looked at our relationship. There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in him, and it made me smile.

In the corner of my eye, I could see that Marcus was standing in front of the crowd and appeared to be waiting for something or someone, and a feeling in my gut told me it was Edward. "Go," I told him, and he gave me his signature smirk before he left my side to join his father at the front.

"It is almost time," Marcus announced to the room. "As most of you have noticed by now, we have a _guest_ with us tonight." He gestured toward me, and it had not escaped my notice how he sneered at the word 'guest.' "Isabella … _Alistair_. The daughter of our own, greatly missed, Marie Sinclair. You are all aware of the prophecy, and she is here to observe. So," he said while staring coldly into my eyes, "let us give her a night she won't forget."

The sinister meaning behind his words made me shudder.

* * *

 **A/N:**

There you go. The first true insight to the purely Evil Community! Tell me all of your thoughts, and hopefully, it will inspire me to post my chapters more frequently ;-)


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:**

Are you excited for what will happen? Well, go on then!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 536

* * *

 **{Chapter 13}**

"Because of our guest's presence tonight, we will have to start with a spell we never use during Samhain, but I'd rather not take any chances."

I frowned at Marcus' words, confused by their meaning, but I refused to react to his taunting. I was going to rise above it and act as a true leader.

"Our grounds have been tainted by white magic, and we need to prevent it from disturbing our rituals any further than what it already has by binding it. We are going to manipulate the energy force, strengthen ourselves and our protection. So clasp your hands together and focus on the energy."

It was impressive to witness how almost everyone closed their eyes and grabbed the hand of the person next to them until they all formed a long chain. The only one I could see who hesitated was Edward who shot a glance in my direction before he also closed his eyes and mimicked the position of the rest of the coven.

I was positive that the spell Marcus was leading the coven into would be directed toward me, as I was the only one that possessed white magic in that room, but since neither side of me had a stronger hold, I was curious to see if a spell created against Good Witches would actually work.

Charlie, who I could now see was standing to the side, was looking at me, and in his contemplating eyes, I saw how his thoughts were in line with mine.

Still, I wasn't happy that Marcus continued to insult me by practically calling for an attack against me, and I was all too aware of how alone I was. Both Edward and Charlie had already warned me that I would be by myself if the night came to this, so if I was injured by the spell, I wouldn't receive any help, and I couldn't leave either. It would show the Evil community a weakness, and I couldn't have that.

I doubted any protection spell of mine would do any good against an entire coven, but I wasn't going to be a sitting duck either. I didn't bring my dagger, and I had nothing sharp on me, so in order to collect any blood, I started to suck hard on the finger Edward had nicked earlier until I tasted rust. I only got a small amount out of it, but it was all I had.

As discreetly as I could while still keeping my eyes on Marcus, I used my little finger to draw the symbol of protection, a double-edged axe, in my blood on the palm of my hand, and then I whispered the spell.

 _Turner be turned,_

 _Burner be burned._

 _All that will find me is what could,_

 _So that all may be as it should._

 _Powers of Night and Day,_

 _I summon thee, to protect me!_

The symbol glowed weakly before it sank into my hand and left nothing behind. I caught Charlie's eyes again, and when he gave me a nod, I knew he'd seen what I'd done, and he approved of my attempt to do what I could to protect myself.

Marcus began chanting, and simultaneously, the rest of the coven echoed him. Fascinated by what they were doing, I leaned forward in my chair to listen to the words, but it was in Latin, and I wasn't fluent in that language yet. Faster and faster they chanted until it was impossible to distinguish any clear words. Their eyes were still closed, yet they were synced to the point of being one mind, and I didn't understand how they were doing it.

They all released each other's hands and quieted down until the room was absolutely silent, and I wondered if that was it. Then, in one movement that was synced to perfection, they connected their hands again, palm to palm, with a thunderous clap, and I was thrown back against the back of the chair I was sitting in.

I could feel the intrusion of black magic in my head, how my good side tried to fight it but was too weak against the sheer amount that had been thrown at me. It was like invisible shackles that closed around my wrists and forced them hard against the armrests.

Half of me felt paralyzed, completely unable to move, but the other half, my dark side, was beyond pissed off. I knew they were going to attempt something, but to actually throw the magic of over fifty full-powered Evil Witches against one of me was something I was _not_ going to stand for.

The entire coven turned to look at me, but it was Marcus eyes that I glared into. He smiled his sinister, cold smirk, and I just lost it.

He thought he'd won. Boy was he wrong.

My breathing quickened as my anger fueled me, and when the coven gasped and scrambled backward away from me, I knew that they were seeing what Edward, Charlie, and Renee had witnessed back at the cabin; my eyes transforming into their swirling, icy blue color.

I started to shake and clenched my hands into fists, and for the first time I was able to see the invisible magic that restrained me. It was like flaming orange ropes that were tied around my wrists and across my chest, but as soon as I looked at them, they disintegrated completely, and I rose to my feet.

In a controlled pace, I determinedly made my way across the room. The witches standing between me and Marcus were frozen in place, but as soon as my eyes landed on them, they cowered away and stepped aside.

Finally, I reached the front where Marcus, Chelsea, and Edward stood. Marcus wasn't smiling anymore, and his brown eyes were hard as flint, Chelsea looked at me with guarded disgust, and Edward looked at me with awed pride. Our eyes met, and he gave me his silent consent to my unspoken question.

" _Abi!_ " I raised my hand and threw Marcus hard against the stone wall behind him. He fell into a coughing heap on the floor as the air was forced from his lungs. Chelsea stepped in between us, but I just tilted my head to the side.

"I'd think twice before doing anything, Chelsea, or would you rather join your husband?" I threatened.

Still staring at me, Chelsea stepped back, and I walked up to the so-called leader on the floor.

" _Offoco._ " My hand formed into a claw that I directed at Marcus. His coughing ceased as I slowly closed his airways.

Nobody tried to stop me, and I crouched down to look into Marcus eyes. He didn't look panicked, and I was positive he could conjure up a non-verbal spell in his mind that made it possible for him to do without air for a short time, and that was more than enough for me to get what I wanted to say across to him.

"It was very _very_ stupid of you to try that _Marcus_. I recommend that, in the future, you assess the amount of power in your target correctly before pissing them off. You might find yourself in a less life-threatening predicament if you do so."

I leaned even closer, my lips almost touching the shell of his ear as I whispered for him only. "I'm not gonna kill you tonight, Marcus. I'm just gonna watch as your coven lose their respect and fear for you, and I'm gonna enjoy every second of it. But listen carefully. My destiny is to lead, and that includes you as well. Go against me again, and I will gladly burn you to ashes." My last words came out as a hiss, and then I took a step back and released the pathetic excuse of a man, and he immediately began coughing violently again.

My eyes were burning painfully at this point, but I was calming down and a few seconds later, when I faced the coven again, the burning stopped and I knew my eyes were back to my regular dark brown.

"All of you need to know this," I said loudly to the lot of them. "I am neither Evil nor Good. I am both and have therefore created a new kind of Witch. The regular spells created to dispel Good and Evil magic does nothing to me. I advise you all to never attempt what you did tonight on me again. It won't work, I can guarantee you that." I didn't know how I knew this, but I did. The answer was just there in my head, and it was suddenly the most obvious thing to me.

"You might not agree with me or the changes I intend to bring into our world, but frankly, it doesn't matter. You can all keep your leaders if that's what you want, but always remember that those leaders will have to answer to me from now on. There is a new higher step on the hierarchy ladder."

With those words, I turned on my heel and left them in stunned silence. When I was almost out of the room, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "Edward?"

He smirked and walked up to me. I entwined my fingers with his and we left Stoneheart Mansion together. He didn't even look back at his parents.

Back at the car, I noticed a few of the Witches trailing out through the front entrance and stopping to look at us. At the very front was the familiar face of Alice. Her gray, emotionless eyes locked with mine for a moment before she gave me a nod, and I knew that she accepted me as the new leader of the magic community.

That was one, now I just needed to convince the rest.

"Where to, Angel?" Edward asked as he started the engine.

"Back to the cabin," I said. "We'll be alone there."

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. His silent question was so obvious that it caused me to laugh. I winked at him, and he instantly pushed down on the gas.

"Horny bastard," I called him with a smile.

"And it's entirely your fault," he replied. "If you weren't so damn sexy all the time, we wouldn't have this problem."

"Who said it's a problem?"

He laughed with me this time. "It's no wonder I love you."

It didn't take long for us to reach the cabin and as soon as the engine was killed, Edward was out to open my door for me, but it wasn't out of chivalry. He did it to pull me out of the vehicle and trap me between him and the car's body while devouring my mouth as if he was starving.

"Impatient much?" I asked when he let me go for a second, only to hoist me up and pull my legs around his waist.

"I've waited for this for six weeks. Can you blame me?" he thrust his hips into me unabashedly, and I gasped at the feeling. He was already hard, and I didn't doubt that he would take me against the car if I allowed it.

"I don't want to blame you for anything. I just want you to take me to bed."

I didn't need to tell him twice. He secured his hold on me by holding on to the back of my thighs and carried me in that manner, my skirt pulled up and my ankles locked behind him.

In the hall, he let me down on my feet but immediately started to pull me by the hand toward the stairs, all the while smiling widely at me.

"You're looking awfully smug," I told him as he continued to lead me into my room, but he didn't bother to close the door. We had the cabin to ourselves, after all.

"I finally have my girlfriend to myself, and we have a bed to stretch out in instead of the cramped backseat of my car. Shouldn't I look a little smug?" he replied with a smirk.

I laughed and leaned in to kiss him. "I guess I can allow some smugness then, and I'll admit that I already feel ten times better myself, having you all alone, and being away from your dad," I murmured in his ear.

He cringed. "Don't mention my dad now! I beg you!"

"Really? I'd like to hear that." I gave him a smirk and pushed him down on my bed. He landed on his back and I started to back away, but I wasn't fast enough to get out of his reach. He grabbed me by my waist and pulled me closer.

"Don't play games with me now, Angel. In this relationship, I'm not the one who will beg," he said, but I raised my brow at him.

"Neither am I. Seems like we have a problem," I said and took a hold of his shoulders. I squeezed, and I knew it was on the verge of being painful, but I was making a point.

"Not if you take your clothes off," he said, unembarrassed by his crudeness, but I wasn't about to fold to his demands. He liked it when I was in charge, he had said so himself just a few hours earlier, and I was going to demonstrate for him exactly how much in charge I could be.

I removed his hands from me with mild force and stepped out of his reach.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a confused frown.

I smiled. "Strip," I ordered and his eyes widened infinitesimally at the abrupt command I issued. I wasn't the stroking, flattering, or pleading girl I was our first time. I had changed since then, and he could now clearly hear it in my firm and authoritative, yet distant tone. Especially since I wasn't touching him, either.

He didn't move, and I tilted my head slightly to the side. "Now."

I locked my eyes with his, and he didn't even blink as he started to unbutton his shirt, one agonizingly slow button at a time, revealing another few inches of skin the further he went. I remained in front of him, unmoving and still not touching him, but the arousing energy in the air was vibrant and consumed me, moved all over my body and seared my skin with the emotional heat of Edward's stare.

He pulled his shirt all the way off and stood up off the bed. Like the previous time, his tattoo drew me in, and I broke our locked gazes to look down at it. Now, when I knew the full meaning of the symbol, it lured me in deeper, and I reached out to trace it with my index finger.

Edward's skin erupted in goosebumps as my nail scratched him lightly, and when I traced my fingertips over his nipple, he startled a bit, but collected himself quickly.

"Do I have to take off my pants on my own or will you help?" he asked and his voice was rough from arousal.

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. I enjoyed teasing him way too much, but I wanted to see how far I could push him before he couldn't take anymore. "I believe a big boy like you can do without help," I replied and drew my fingers down his abs but stopped right above the waistband of his pants.

He lifted my chin and made me look into his deep eyes. "Fine, but don't peek," he said, trying to regain the dominance.

I did as he told and continued to look into his eyes as I both heard and felt how he unzipped the fly and allowed that last of his clothing fall to the floor by his feet.

Even though I wasn't looking, I knew he was completely nude in front of me. "Commando, huh?"

He gave me a small shrug. "I prefer it that way."

I stood motionless because I had felt the shift of power, and it was his turn now, and he knew it. He turned me around so that my back was to him and he both unzipped my dress and popped my bra open in one move.

"Impressive," I commented. "If you can get me naked in only one more move, I'll do anything you want," I said, and he chuckled in my ear.

"You should at least give me a challenge, Angel."

And with his hands he traced underneath my dress, under the straps of my bra and followed the movement all the way down my arms. When he was in line with my hips, he smoothly hooked his thumbs into my underwear and pulled them down with the rest of my clothes.

When he straightened back up, he leaned close to my ear and whispered. "Get down on the bed."

A shiver of pleasure ran through my body, and I walked around him to slide down on my knees on top of the covers.

I wasn't at all uncomfortable that my ass was on complete display for him as I crawled on all fours into the middle of the mattress. Quite the opposite because I knew he was staring, and despite being at his mercy, I held infinite amounts of power over him.

Only seconds passed before I felt him kneeling behind me. He moved his hands across my back, up my shoulders and down my arms until he could lace our fingers together. "I hope you weren't expecting slow and sweet," he said.

"I never do with you," I replied, but all I could really focus on was the feel of his chest pressed against my back, and his cock resting against my ass.

And then he was inside me with so little effort because I was already wet beyond belief from our non-tactile, power stare foreplay. His hands gripped my hips forcefully, exactly where it mattered, exactly where some demonic set of nerve receptors I had until then only been semi-aware of waited to be found and used.

It was impossible to know who was moving, if it was him or me.

He struck fire in me over and over. I had to let out an astonished sound, in gratitude at being touched in that right place, and all too soon, I cried out his name.

I couldn't get enough of him. I was tired and sore but I didn't care. I didn't want to sleep. I wanted the ache. I wanted him, all the time.

His weight on top of me. I wanted to squeeze him in further and further. I wanted to watch his face. I wanted his sweat to drop onto me. I wanted to drop mine on him.

I straddled him where he was lying on his back next to me, having just recovered his normal breathing. I'd never been on top before. I couldn't really believe I was doing it because despite feeling the changes in my psyche and body since I got my powers, a part of me still remembered the girl I used to be. The girl I was even before Edward.

She would never have had the confidence to do what I did right then. I shackled his wrists to his pillow with my hands and guided him back in.

He felt deeper in me this time. I would never forget it.

I was in charge this time and he liked it. I held his hands down firmly. He grinned at me and pretended he was trying to break free. I leaned forward and let my breasts touch his face.

His eyes darkened.

He went mad; he bucked, and I pushed down harder. There was no end to it, no end to the new things. He did something. I copied him. I did something. He did it back. He rolled me over and drove me into the mattress. I thrust back up against him, forcing more of him into me. The whole room rocked

Edward drove himself harder into me, and I was whining with pleasure. I would come again very soon.

He alternated between going slow and then fast, and it almost drove me mad. Then, he pushed my knees up higher and sped up the movement of his hips. He was close and so was I.

We hadn't used a condom this time either, but there was no threat of being tainted by Evil magic now, and there was just a part of me who knew that a pregnancy wasn't going to happen either, and it wasn't simply a naïve teenage thought either.

I couldn't explain it, but I knew.

Edward threw his head back and shouted when he came, and the sight of him falling into complete pleasure caused me to clench around him and my own, second, orgasm to ripple through me.

He remained on top of me, still inside, and both of us shook from the sheer force of what we had just experienced.

* * *

 **A/N:**

That was an intense lemon to say the least!

Well, I felt you guys deserved it, and B and E as well. It's 11 chapters since they got to be with each other like this, or six weeks I guess xD

How do you feel she handled Marcus? What do you think will happen around all of that in the future? How will Bella handle being an Original on top of a leader, and why does she always have these "feelings" she can't explain that causes her to just _know_ things?


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:**

Hey guys! I am so glad to get this chapter out to you! It felt much like pulling teeth to write it, but it's done now and I really hope you'll like it :-D

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 2, 738

* * *

 **{Chapter 14}**

I was standing on a cliff edge, looking down at the 3000 feet long drop that ended in jagged black stones and boulders.

Storm winds blew around me with dark ominous clouds swirling above, and just before the thunder resounded between the mountains, the hairs on my arms stood up from the charged electricity in the air.

There was someone behind me.

I could feel it.

Their intense stare at the back of my neck. The pure hatred they projected.

"I already knew you were stupid, but this is even below _your_ intelligence," I said, but my voice was different. Darker, with a reverberating tone that sounded ancient. "Why do you think you'll get away with it?"

The person behind me answered, but I couldn't hear the words. It was as if they talked to me through a thick wall of glass, and I could only hear a muffled version of their reply.

"It's too late," I told them in response to what they had said, although I still didn't know what that was. "It's already in the works. I have seen it, and it will be as I said."

Another muffled answer.

I laughed with mirth. "You're like a stupid child. Of course I have documented it, but I will never tell you where to find it. You're unworthy of resting your eyes upon such knowledge."

The hate directed at me grew, and I knew that whoever was behind me was going to push me down toward my inevitable death.

"Kill me. Do it. It won't make a difference," I said and smiled to myself.

A strike of lightning brightened the world for a second, and then I felt two hands pushing violently against my back, and I fell freely through the air.

I didn't scream because I knew it was useless, and just before my body impacted with the ground, I closed my eyes.

I gasped at the burning pain in my eyes, and I sat up in bed and rubbed them in hopes of reducing the sensation.

"What's the matter?" Edward's hoarse voice asked from next to me.

"My eyes are hurting like hell," I answered and continued to rub, although it did no good whatsoever. "It feels like someone poured acid in them."

The mattress shifted under me, and I knew Edward also sat up. He pulled the curtain of my hair that hid my face from him behind my ear and over my shoulder. "Open your eyes, Angel. Let me see," he said, and I did as he told, although reluctantly, since it still hurt so much.

My sight wasn't blurry, as I would have expected. It was, pretty much, just as it should be, but as soon as I turned to Edward, he flinched back as if I had electrocuted him.

"Fucking hell!" he exclaimed in shock, and he slowly moved away until he was able to slide out of bed and stand before me.

"What?" I asked him, scared by his reaction. "What is it?"

When I first woke up and I felt the burn in my eyes, I thought it was my Original powers that were manifesting. I presumed my eyes were glowing in that swirly blue color I'd seen the day before, but Edward had already seen that, and judging by his reaction, this was something else.

He turned toward my dresser where he found my makeup compact, and then he stretched his arm as far as he could to give it to me. "Don't do anything too sudden," he warned me. "I have no idea what's going on with your eyes, but it's freaking me out."

I opened the compact and looked into the small mirror, and just as Edward had flinched, I did too. The compact fell from my hands and I didn't see the image anymore, but it was already etched into my brain.

My eyes were, in fact, swirling with their icy blue color, but the freaky part wasn't even the sudden additional dark purple rim surrounding the iris and the pupil.

The really scary shit was that the whites of my eyes were tinted blood red.

I felt myself begin to shake, and my breathing became shallow, as I was unable to take a proper deep breath. A feeling as if my head was slowly being squeezed in a vice had me clutch it and close my eyes tightly.

A wheezing sound escaped my throat, and I couldn't control myself. The windows started to creak as tension built up and threatened to shatter them, and the candles all over the room burst into flames.

"Angel?"

"E-Edward! H-help!" I cried out. "I-I don't what's happening to me."

An evil shrill shriek pierced my brain and it felt as if my head was going to explode. I curled up in the bed into the shape of a small ball, hoping it would somehow help me, and that was when the images began to rapidly blink behind my lids, or rather, in my mind.

I saw a cloaked body falling from a high cliff, a hunched figure gagged and bound as it was being taken somewhere on a horse led by a faceless person, the same figure as it was abducted; cautiously, but also calmly, walking across a courtyard; writing in a book in a language I didn't recognize; roaming around in a library environment; performing blood magic, and finally the face of a boy that could have been my own brother.

I inhaled sharply, as if I hadn't taken a breath for hours, and then started coughing as the dry air reached my suffering lungs.

"Bella?"

As I struggled with my breathing, Edward cupped my face in his hands and looked intensely into my eyes before pulling me into a tight embrace.

"Fuck, Angel! Don't fucking scare me like that again, do you hear me? Never, ever again," he demanded in my ear, and all I could do was tighten my hold on him.

I had absolutely no idea what had happened, and I was positive Edward wouldn't know either, but I had to tell him what I'd seen anyway. "I-I saw these things. Images … or memories. I don't know." He let me go and I swallowed hard before continuing. "They weren't mine, and everything was in reverse."

"What are you talking about?"

I met his eyes and frowned. "I think I saw the past."

"You _saw_ the past? Like a _vision_?" he asked incredulously.

I rubbed my temples with the tips of my fingers as I could still feel a dull throbbing in my head. "I think so."

"Have you had any ... _visions_ ... before?" There was skepticism in his tone, and it caused me to fire up.

"I'm not _lying_ to you, Edward," I told him fiercely. "What would be the point of that? You saw yourself what happened to me."

He shook his head. "What I just saw was my girlfriend going into a panic attack, her powers wreaking havoc before she started to convulse on the bed and then, nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Exactly that," he answered me steely. "You were unresponsive for _hours_ , Bella. You just stared at the ceiling with this blank look on your face, and I'm telling you that had your heart not been beating, I would have thought you were dead." He got up off the bed and started pacing the room. That was when I first noticed that he was dressed, and not in the clothes from last night. "Do you have any idea what it did to me, seeing you like that?"

"It's not like I chose … whatever it was that happened to me. Don't you fucking dare accuse me of _anything_ , Edward!" I yelled, his change of clothes completely forgotten. I stood up from the bed myself, and for the first time noticed I was dressed as well. "Did you dress me?"

"I didn't think you'd want Charlie and Renee to see you naked," he answered.

"You called them? Why?"

He frowned. "What the hell was I supposed to do? You were _unresponsive_!"

"Well, you could have tried to, you know, _not call them_ ," I retorted. "They're not responsible for me anymore. I am a full-powered Witch, an Original, and the leader of our community. I can't go running to my mentors every time something weird happens to me!"

I know my anger was unjustified, but I couldn't rein it in. It only built momentum inside me together with every other feeling in the book. I felt delirious, and terrified, and sad beyond belief, but I also wanted to laugh out loud.

I also knew that the feelings I felt weren't mine. Not completely. They were tastes from the past. Breadcrumb trails left by the person I'd seen in my visions. The boy who looked so much like me it was eerie.

Who was he? What did he mean to me?

"You're not an expert on witchcraft just because you have your powers now," Edward shot back at me. "You've been practicing all of six weeks. There is no way in hell that you know everything!" He grabbed my upper arms hard and stared at me with fury glittering in his green eyes. "I've known I was a Witch from birth, Bella. I started practicing the art much earlier than others. My bedtime stories were spell books. There are few things I don't know about Witches, and I have no _fucking_ clue what just happened, so tell me … _Oh, Great Leader_ … what would you have done in my shoes?"

His sarcastic tone made me realize how irrational I was acting and I felt my anger drain away from me. I slumped in his hold and put my hands on his chest for support.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I feel so conflicted, and everything is so new still, and I am trying to wrap my head around it and remain calm as I should, but honestly, I am really fucking scared," I admitted, and the tension in Edward disappeared.

"Apology accepted. I called them about an hour ago, so they should be here soon. We should get downstairs," he said, and I nodded and allowed him to lead me to the living room.

We timed Charlie and Renee's arrival perfectly, and they came through the front door the second we reached the bottom floor.

Renee took one look at me, and then she was in front of me, cupping my face, looking all worried. "Bella, are you okay?"

I gently removed her hands from my face and attempted a smile. "I'm fine, now."

"Are you sure? Edward sounded really worried when he called?"

I nodded. "I promise. I still don't know what happened, though."

Renee took my hand in hers and led me over to one of the couches. "Tell us everything you can."

I did as she told me, and told her everything I could remember from when I first woke up from a dream I couldn't remember anymore, about my eyes hurting, and then the panic attack that led to the visions.

When I was done, Edward gave us his version of it so that Charlie and Renee could hear what it had looked like from an outside point of view.

It was scary to hear that I had apparently started to convulse as if I'd had a seizure, and then just stopped moving completely. I'd been completely gone for two hours, and according to Edward, I hadn't been breathing at all the entire time. That was why he told me that if my heart wasn't beating, he would have thought I was dead.

Charlie looked deep in thought as he appeared to study the mantelpiece of the non-functional fireplace. "This boy you saw in your visions, what did he look like?" he asked without turning to me.

"Like me," I answered honestly. "He could have been my brother."

Charlie hummed. "And in the visions, were you always observing the events or did you see from his point of view as well?"

"Yes, I did." I swallowed hard as I focused on the visions once more. "He performed blood magic, and it was as if I was him." For some reason, I didn't tell them about the library I'd seen. Something in me had me keep it to myself like some sacred secret. I knew it was important, though. It was a taste at the back of my tongue, and I had to find this place.

Charlie and Renee exchanged a look, and I knew that they knew what had happened to me.

"Tell me."

Renee cleared her throat. "You've seen memories of the Seer. The way you describe him is so accurate of how he looked, it can't be anyone else."

I frowned. "But you said he passed away. I thought you meant of old age, not that he was murdered," I accused them, referring to the vision of him being abducted and then falling from the cliff.

"We don't make a habit of telling other Witches about that detail," Charlie replied. "It wouldn't go over too well if it was known that the most powerful Witch to have walked on this earth before you were born was murdered by someone who wasn't nearly strong enough." He glanced at me through the corner of his eye. "Originals have always wondered how it was possible. You didn't happen to see how it went down, did you?"

I had seen it, sort of, I realized as I started to remember fractions of the dream I'd had. I had been the Seer in that dream. He'd been talking to someone about some knowledge only he had.

His murder had not involved magic. He had been physically pushed over the edge, and he hadn't even attempted to fight back, even though he would have won the fight, hands down.

Why?

Once again, I instinctively knew that this was not information I should share with my mentors, though, and that was why I shook my head. "No. The visions started when he was falling. I never even saw who abducted him."

Charlie huffed in disappointment. "That's too bad. The first time in centuries we could possibly get a clue as to who committed a crime that baffled the community, and that small, but important, detail simply wasn't included." His tone told me that he didn't believe for a second that I didn't know.

Was I such a bad liar, or did Charlie just have an uncanny ability for knowing when people lied to him? Neither Renee, nor Edward, questioned what I said, and that told me the latter was more likely.

I tilted my head to the side and stared at the side of Charlie's face. "Yes, it's too bad, isn't it?" He knew I was lying, so I wasn't going to hide it from him, but if he so much as attempted to get anything else out of me, he'd be sorry. I was the most powerful Witch since the Seer, after all, and he didn't have any powers except his Original powers.

I turned to the less hostile Renee. "Why do you think I see the Seer's memories, though? Am I related to him somehow?"

She shook her head. "Not at all, although, no one knows which family the Seer came from. He wasn't from America. He traveled around the world all the time and never stayed in one place for longer than a year. His body was found in the Samaria Gorge in Crete."

"So why am I seeing his memories?" I asked again.

Renee sighed. "The only explanation I have is that he did a spell which wouldn't activate until you were born and received your powers. He knew of you, of course. He was the one who predicted your prophecy."

"But why did he choose _me_?" I pressed, as I slowly got annoyed that I didn't just get a straightforward answer.

"I don't think he chose you. The Goddess did. Just like she chose him once," she said and crouched down in front of me and grabbed my hands. "Bella, I believe you are the new Seer."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Say whaaaaat? A little teaser for next chapter, Bella is kind of tired of hearing all the things she apparently is xD

Hopefully, the next chapter should come to you much faster than this one did!

Kisses :-*


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:**

Hi everyone!

I know I left you at the cruelest place possible, and I'm so sorry for this. And I also know that it's forever since I updated this story. And I'm sorry for that, too.

I wish I could give you a better explanation than the fact that I've had other projects that have taken up all my time and been prioritized.

I also wish I could give you better news about a weekly update schedule from now on, but I can't because as much as I love and adore this story, working on it goes slow, even though I wish the opposite. So updating will still be sporadic and might be long in-between.

By telling you this, I hope you won't feel the need to abandon the story because I will finish it, but not in a while, so if you want to wait until it's complete, at least keep the story on alert, okay?

I wanted to give you this chapter at least to bring you out of the last chapter's cliffhanger.

I truly hope you'll like it!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** _**Chapter is unbetad**_

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 485

* * *

 **{Chapter 15}**

I closed my eyes and groaned. "Are you freaking kidding me? What are you gonna tell me next that I am? I fucking unicorn?" I slouched down in my seat and leaned my head back against the back.

Renee sat down next to me and stroke my hair like she had done so many times when I was upset as a child. "Bella, honey, I know this must be very overwhelming for you—"

I scoffed. "You don't say? In the last six weeks of my life I've found out that I'm adopted, a Witch, an expected leader, that my boyfriend is legit Evil, that said boyfriend's father killed my biological parents, that I'm an Original, and now you're telling me that I'm a fucking Seer on top of all this?" I counted everything off in my head and then gave Renee a sarcastic smile. "Overwhelmed? That doesn't really cover it."

I stood up and started to pace the length of the room slowly as it was impossible to sit still. I knew I needed to calm down because Edward told me my powers had gone out of control in the bedroom when I started to stress, and I didn't want that to happen again, and so I started to chant quietly to myself.

" _Soothing and strong where I belong, soothing and strong where I belong, soothing and strong where I belong..._ "

"Isabella—" Charlie started, but I quickly silenced him with a mouth-sealing spell.

" _Pax,_ " I said and made a closing gesture with my hand. Since the spell only sealed his lips, I could still hear his mumbled voice as he protested. "Don't talk to me right now. I need to focus."

He exhaled sharply through his nose and turned to Edward with wide, annoyed eyes, but Edward only shook his head.

"Don't look at me, I'm not gonna undo her spell," he told him. "Unlike you, I'm actually trying to stay in her favor."

When I finally felt calm again, I turned to the others in the room. "What exactly will be expected of me as a Seer?"

"Actually," Renee started. "I believe the wisest move would be to keep quiet about you being the new Seer."

"Why?"

She went up to me and took a firm hold of my hands. "You gained your full powers only yesterday, but you're already a high-esteemed figure in our community. You have been pretty much since your birth, and it's just now that you will truly experience how devoted Witches all over the world are to you. If we add any more on top of what you already have, I'm afraid Witches might start turn on you instead of following you."

I looked at her with confusion. "Why would they do that?"

"They'll probably be afraid that you'll become power-hungry and threaten our way of life instead of making it thrive."

"So what am I supposed to do?" I asked. "Just pretend I don't get visions? What if it happens when I'm in a room full of people? Don't you think they'll suspect something if that happens?"

Charlie tried to say something, but his lips were still sealed together, so with a sigh, I removed the spell. " _Privo._ "

"Thank you for remembering," he said sarcastically, but I just challenged him to continue with that attitude with an unamused look. "What I was _trying_ to say was that as long as we can keep it a secret, we should. The other Originals need to know, of course, but this information should never leave this room." He looked particularly at Edward, who rolled his eyes.

"Really, Charlie? You'd think I'd betray my girlfriend's trust like that? Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Charlie only shrugged, not at all ashamed that he continued to cast these hints at Edward. "You're the only one who would gain anything by sharing the information," he pointed out, and I glared at him.

"Gain? What would he gain by outing me?"

"Power and respect," Charlie replied coldly. "The community would think him trustworthy and they could rally against you and want him to be the new leader."

"The community must be incredibly frail for such a thing to overshadow a centuries-old prophecy," I retorted, but Charlie remained unfazed.

"You have no idea."

Renee nodded sadly. "It's true, Bella. The community was weakened a long time ago, and it never really healed. That's why it's in such desperate need of leadership."

"But how am I supposed to handle all this? It's impossible for one person to do it alone."

I slumped back down in the couch, unable to decide whether I was better off standing or sitting. I was feeling way out of my element. I wasn't supposed to have these worries. I was only eighteen, and I should be in my senior year at school. My worries should only have been exams and prom.

"You are encouraged to build a council of consultants eventually. I'd refrain from it right now, though," Renee told me sympathetically.

I glanced at her and waited for her to explain why I should wait.

"Marcus's coven is the largest in the states, yes, but it was still only a fraction of all the Witches out there, and not all of them are aware that you've accepted your destiny and some … _rouges_ … have denounced every prophecy there is and won't just bow down to you," she explained, and I felt the great urge to whimper and jump up and down like a child having a tantrum.

"So what am I supposed to do? Force them to recognize me as their leader?"

"Sometimes, force is the only way," Edward responded, and I should have known that was what he would believe. As an Evil Witch, he wouldn't hesitate to use any sort of violence, but I was … not the complete opposite, but enough to not want to use unnecessary violence.

I was a firm believer in free will. Like I had chosen my path instead of taking one of the two presented to me. I created my own path, and I was going to make sure that was an option for these so-called "Rouges."

The Witch Community had lived in a black and white world for too long. It was time to incorporate some gray in there as well. However, until I had established myself as a reliable leader, I knew I had to tread carefully.

"So what's the next step?" I asked with a tired sigh. "You say I can't form a council yet, but I doubt you want me to travel the world by myself to chase down potentially dangerous rouges, either."

Edward glanced at me questioningly when I said: "by myself." "You wouldn't be by yourself," he pointed out.

"Your dad already hates me," I reminded him. "I don't think he would appreciate me taking his second in command from him right now."

"Screw him," he replied with a frown. "I don't care about him. I make my own choices and last night I made it very clear that I prioritize you over him."

I smiled. "I appreciate that, and I'm not going to throw any lessons in moral at you about how he's your dad. I'll leave that to Renee," I said and felt amused when Renee folded her arms and huffed in response. "My concern for his growing hate is purely for selfish reasons. I will never earn his respect so long as he hates me."

"No, but you can make him fear you," Edward replied with a smirk that was a mix of humor and anticipation. "You can go a long way on fear."

I nodded. "That is true. But fear feeds rebellions, and that is the last thing I want. In the end, I'd rather have Marcus on my side."

Neither Renee or Charlie gave me any further advice on what I should do, so I knew it was on me to decide what felt right.

"I might have received my powers now, but the last twenty-four hours have proved to me that I still have so much to learn," I told them. "I also think that in order to lead a community, I need knowledge of the other communities we involve ourselves with, mainly the mortal community."

Edward grimaced, but I ignored him.

"I need to go back to school."

Charlie gave me a look that said he questioned my sanity, and Renee tilted her head to the side in confusion. Edward was the only one who voiced his opinion.

"Why would you want that? It's not like you need the education."

"I know I don't need the academic education the high school offers me, and that is not why I want to go back," I explained. "There are still Witches attending, aren't there? I want to know who they are, and I want to integrate myself with the mortals. I don't believe the future wants us to keep separating ourselves from them as completely as we are now."

"Mortals can never know about Witches existence," Charlie insisted with a hard frown. "They have displayed numerous times that they can't be trusted with information about power. It always ends badly."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I didn't say we should announce it on speakers at Time's Square. I know we need to stay secret for many reasons, but it doesn't mean we can't socialize with mortals. As I've understood it, Good Witches already are, so why can't Evil Witches do the same?"

Charlie exchanged a look with Edward and then threw his arms out exasperatedly. Edward turned to me, taking it upon himself to explain what it was I was missing.

"Angel, it's not so much that Evil Witches can't socialize with mortals, it's more that we don't want to. We simply prefer being around like-minded people and not having to listen to trivial, inane mortal problems."

"But if it would advance the magic community, could you not make that sacrifice, just for that sake alone?"

He grimaced. "Evil doesn't work like that, and you know it. That part of you that doesn't care who stands in your way of getting what you want, that is what Evil Witches feel most of the time. Evil is selfish. We don't make sacrifices unless we gain majorly from it, and interacting with mortals isn't a guarantee for advancement. That idea will not sit well with Dad's coven, so for your own sake, I'm telling you to let it go."

I gave him a smirk. "If I did what other people told me to do, I wouldn't be what I am today," I reminded him. "But I get it. Not everyone is ready for my ideas so I won't push that matter further right now. I'm still going back to school, though."

"We can't stop you," Renee said. "If it's what you want."

"I don't like it," Edward disagreed. "I'm banned from the school area. I can't protect you there."

"I don't need protection at school," I insisted. "Nothing's ever happened there."

"That was before you had your powers. You weren't seen as a threat back then," he pushed.

"That doesn't make sense," I disagreed. "If I was less of a threat, I would have been an easy target, so it should have been more dangerous for me before."

"No, because everyone wanted to know which side you would choose," he continued. "If you'd been one or the other, people would have been fine with that, even the opposite side because you would have been half of what you are today. But this uncertainty of what you'll do scares everyone. It doesn't ring well with anyone that one person has that much power, and no one even knows of your Seer ability yet."

"And so it will remain," I assured him. "I don't like being this … _almighty_ person any more than you do. If I'd had my way, I would have remained just a normal Witch and not have to deal with leadership, or Original powers or any of that." I stood and walked up to him to cup his cheek in my hand. "But this is the way it is. I can't do anything about it, so I have to accept it, and I can't exactly hole myself up in this cabin forever. If I'm going to be a leader, I need to start acting like one."

I stood on my toes and placed a kiss on his, still, disapproving lips. Then, a thought hit me.

"From where does this sudden respect for the ban Banshee put on you come, anyway? You never cared before."

Edward glanced questioningly at Renee and Charlie, and they gave him a small nod. Trepidation filled me as I prepared for another outrageous truth of my life before Witches and magic.

"Banshee's a Good High Priestess."

I blinked. "What?! You're saying that _she's_ a Witch, too?"

"She doesn't practice her magic on a daily basis. It's a rule for those who dedicate themselves to the Goddess," Renee explained, and I turned to her.

"I know what a High Priestess is," I told her annoyingly. "I've read everything I can about the Witch Rang. A High Priestess is the third most powerful and respected rang of Witch in the world."

"Fourth."

I shifted to look at Charlie instead. "What?"

"They're fourth in rang," he repeated. "Your books forgot to mention that seers are just below Originals."

I let out a sharp exhale. "Alright, then, fourth," I conceded, and turned back to Renee. "Banshee—"

"Hollie," Renee corrected pointedly, and I rolled my eyes, but I refused to use her first name.

" _Principal Greene_ must have known who I am, so what was up with her agenda against me?" I asked as my anger steadily built.

"She was trying to guide you to the best of her abilities," Renee defended her. "It's not her fault you rebelled against everything."

I shook my head in disagreement. "All she did was call you every chance she got whenever she thought I did something bad. Did she think she could reprimand my Evil side out of me?"

As I raged, I noticed how Edward was fighting a smile, and I knew he wasn't suppressing his amusement with me. In fact, I was positive he was imagining the confrontation he most likely wished I would have with _Banshee_ if I actually returned to school.

I still wanted to, but knowing that a Good High Priestess was the Principal made the idea less desirable. I buried my face in my hands momentarily and let out a small groan of frustration before I looked back at my "entourage."

"There's nothing to do about it. Besides, I rank above her now, so while she can control the school as much as she wants, I'm not going to stand for her continued unfavorable treatment of young Evil Witches."

"Hollie doesn't favor anyone—" Renee began, but I stopped her as I didn't want to hear it.

"You're on the same side as her, so I don't want to hear your excuses of her behavior. I've seen it first-hand and been subjected to it. It's disgusting, and it ends now unless she wants to be pulled from her position."

Renee looked hesitant. "She's not going to like it if you traipse into those halls and pulls rank on her. Hollie is a very proud woman. She'll take it as an insult."

I shrugged, not really concerned. "I won't pull rank on her unless she forces me to. I'm going to talk to her when I return and I will make it clear that I don't agree with her practices. After that, it's up to her."

A sudden case of vertigo hit me, and my head started to ache in a similar fashion it had earlier when I saw the Seer's memories. It was different this time, though, because I was certain what I was seeing now wasn't memories.

I saw the blazing sun, high in the sky, and a large field of grass waving in the wind, surrounded by trees in full bloom. I could feel the wind on my face but it was blowing in two directions, and dark clouds moved across the sky, threatening to extinguish the sun's light.

A broken pot with a red liquid spilling out was on the ground, and a candle melted down to a nub next to it, and as the dark red reached my toes, a burst, like an explosion, caused everything to go white.

My sharp inhale traveled harshly down my throat and I started to cough. I blinked and realized I was back in the cabin living room, but I was sitting on the couch again. I couldn't remember moving back to that position, and I startled when I saw that I had a notebook in front of me, as well as a pen in my hand.

I looked at it in confusion and back at the notebook. The page had writing on it that I identified as my own, but the words were unfamiliar.

 _The ones born close to when t_ _he Earth was awash with fertility and fulfillment_ _close in on their destiny._

 _Two paths are drawn but only one can be followed._ _W_ _ithin this climax is the whisper and promise of a return to the Dark_ _or the start of the golden age._

 _Blood must be spilt by the means of stones and steel, or the power can't ever be set free._

I could feel the tremble of my voice in my throat when I looked up at the trio surrounding me, two of them with eyes intense and filled with wonderment, and the third who stared at me with fear and concern.

"D-did I write that?" I asked with a small nod toward the notebook.

"Yes," Charlie replied and reached out to read it. "You just predicted your first prophecy."

My eyes widened as I looked at him and then back to the other two. "I barely remember anything. What happened?"

Edward reached out for me, and I didn't care that he did it for selfish reasons, as was his usual motivation for anything, because, at that moment, I needed reassurance as much, if not more, than he did. I gladly stood up from the couch and allowed him to cage me in his embrace.

"At first I thought you fainted," he told me, and while his voice was as smooth as ever, I could still detect the hint of fear he was unable to hide completely. "You fell back against me, but then you opened your eyes and they were the same as this morning. Renee and Charlie figured you had a vision, and after I placed you on the couch, they coaxed you to write down what you saw."

I swallowed thickly and glanced at my mentors, both of them still on the couch and staring intensely at my writing as they tried to decipher the riddle. "Do you understand any of it?" I asked.

"The basics, but it's impossible to figure out its meaning before we know who the prophecy refers to," Charlie mumbled. "It's more obscure than previous prophecies I've read."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

He shrugged. "Hard to say. It means it will take more time to decode." He looked up at me with the same intense look he had as he read the words on the page. "What do you remember of what you saw? Any little thing could help."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes in hope that it would help me remember, but all I saw was a summery field of grass.

"I remember a field of grass, and it's obviously summer, but that's it."

Charlie hummed and looked back at the notebook.

Exhaustion was creeping up on me, and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. Luckily, Edward noticed, and I heard him tell Renee and Charlie that he was going to help me to bed.

"Will I always feel this tired after a vision?" I asked softly as he supported me toward the stairs.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "But I don't think so. New powers have a tendency to drain Witches of energy before they're used to them."

"Great," I said sarcastically. "Not only do I have to worry about having a vision in public, I just may fall asleep in the street as well."

Edward chuckled but didn't say anything more as he led me to bed.

* * *

 **A/N:**

I don't have a whole lot to say here, but if you have any questions at all that I feel I can answer without spoiling the story, I will answer them! I promise!

Only one thing: do you have any suspicions as to who the prophecy refers to? And what do you think it means?

I'll update as soon as I feel I can!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:**

You were all so very kind to me when I posted the last chapter and so I just couldn't resist to give you this next one!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 627

* * *

 **{Chapter 16}**

Edward scowled at the school building when he parked his car along the curb to drop me off. "I still don't get what's so important for you here. You could easily meet the other Witches without all this."

I leaned over until I could support my chin on his shoulder. "I've told you, I can't hole myself up in the cabin."

"You don't have to," he insisted. "Just because I want you to be safe doesn't mean I want to imprison you anywhere, but _this_ ," he nodded toward the red brick building, "is unnecessary."

I traced my hand down his arm until I reached his hand and then I looked at it as I entwined our fingers. "I have no idea what I'm doing, you know," I reminded him. "You know better than anyone that I was never the leader of anything. But now that role has been thrust upon me and I'm making everything up as I go. My instincts tell me that instead of becoming an arrogant dickhead who sits on my ass all day while waiting for riches to come my way, I need to go down in the muck myself." I also looked at the main building. "I hated this place from the moment I first set foot in it, but I know there's some unfinished business here that I need to attend to."

"Is that you or your Seer magic speaking?" he asked with a hint of worry.

I shrugged. "Who can tell?" I leaned away from and prepared to step out of the car when I stopped myself and turned back in his direction. "Come with me to her office. I'll have her lift your ban, and I'll feel better knowing I have you covering my back."

He smirked. "So you want me to act as your bodyguard now?"

"No," I told him and rolled my eyes. "I want you to act as my partner and closest confidant because that's what you are, and I see no reason to hide it."

"There is definitely no reason to hide it, but the ban Banshee has put on me is magical, and I physically can't cross this parking lot," he told me regrettably.

"But why has she taken such drastic measures to keep you out now? You had no trouble getting in while I was here before."

He grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles and gave me a patient look. He'd made a habit of giving me that look when it took longer for me to understand something vital. "That's because I cast a Promise Spell on you before she was able to finish her own. Do you remember?"

I thought back to the time before I was aware of magic, and I remembered something he always told me when I said I was worried Banshee was going to throw him out from the school property.

" _She could try, but as long as you attend this school, nothing can keep me away."_

The memory caused me to let out an incredulous little laugh. "You know, before I found out about all of this magic stuff, I would have been convinced that it was supposed to be all show and complicated illusions, like in magician shows."

He grinned. "Yeah, you've always had an outrageous fantasy."

I turned serious again. "Please, wait here. I'm going to talk to—" I stopped myself because I was about to use her nickname again, but if I wanted to be seen as a credible leader, I knew I couldn't use derogatory names on those in my community. I couldn't hold in my grimace fully, though, because the truth was that I didn't like the woman. "I'm going to talk to Mrs. Greene, and I'll get her to lift the ban. Then I'll come back out for you, okay?"

Edward let out a somewhat impatient sigh but nodded anyway. "If that's what you want."

"Thank you."

Before I got out, I gave him one last kiss.

The biggest difference with being back at school compared to before was that I could taste the presence of magic now. The entire building vibrated with it, and it was so potent it could only mean that there was quite the number of magical beings in there.

Mrs. Greene had been informed of my return, and she was waiting for me, the door to her office already open, when I entered the administration area.

I saw how she rose from her seat behind her desk, and without any further welcome, I stepped inside and closed the door. The receptionist looked at me curiously, but I didn't give her my attention. She was a mortal—I could feel that in the air around her—and it was better if she remained in the dark.

"Miss Swan," Mrs. Greene started, and it didn't go unnoticed by me that she didn't use my first name this time as she had some many times before. Her greeting felt much more respectful now than previous times.

However, I still had to correct her. "Alistair. I've changed my last name to Alistair."

"Of course," she replied with an overly pleasant smile. "I was uncertain whether you were going to use your father's or mother's name."

I understood her pleasant smile then. She thought that because I had taken my father's name, I was favoring my Good side, and for her, that was exciting news. "My parents were married before their death, and I know my mother took my father's last name. Why wouldn't I?" I questioned her. "It has nothing to do with my magic inclination. I know Renee and Charlie have informed you of my choice."

She entwined her hands on top of the desk. "They have. And I've also heard rumors through the grapevine that your choice has caused quite a stir. Apparently, you're an Original now, unless the rumors are false of course."

Over the past few days since Samhain, I'd gotten better control over my Original magic, and taught myself to change the color of my eyes at will. I did so now to show Mrs. Greene, and her reaction to the icy-blue color was the same as everyone else's.

"They're not false," I told her calmly and then allowed the blue to fade back to brown. "Naturally, I have been informed of your position as well and your intent with working at this school," I continued. "I am not interested in managing what you do here, but I also have to make my opinion known to you about some of your practices."

"Isabella—" So it was back to being 'Isabella' now.

"I'd prefer if you continued to call me Miss Alistair … _Hollie_ ," I told her sternly, and despite the fact that she was many years older than me, she recognized the authority in my voice.

"Of course. I'm sorry," she said. "Miss Alistair, if you're referring to our past relationship, I was under strict orders to keep you unaware of your magical heritage and to treat you like any student."

"But that's the problem, isn't it?" I interjected. "You didn't treat me like any student. You treated me as if I was plague-infected but with the right treatment I could be cured, and all of that because of my choice of friends."

She opened her mouth to protest, but I stopped her with a gesture of my hand.

"I am not under the impression that Good and Evil Witches will ever see completely eye to eye, but the fact remains that you hold a position of power in this school, and you're supposed to give guidance and advice to everyone, not just those who favor your side. I remember how you doted on Angela, yet you scorned Edward and Alice and my other friends. How does that sound fair to you?"

"Angela has been a model student from the start. My treatment of her had nothing to do with her ancestry—"

"I beg you to not lie to me, Mrs. Green. Remember that I've experienced both sides, and I continue to do so. Evil Witches are treated like dirt just because they have a different view on magic, and I am not going to accept that."

Mrs. Greene pursed her lips in annoyance. "Miss Alistair, you are young and new to the magic community. I don't expect you to understand the dynamic just yet, but it will come to you eventually."

I felt my anger flare up in a second, but I hurriedly suppressed it. "Don't patronize me. I might be young and I admit that I'm still learning, but don't forget that you answer to me now. I can remove you from this position in a heartbeat and have you replaced. It's not my wish to do so, but that's what will happen if you give me no choice."

We stared at each other for a long time, but then, finally, Mrs. Greene relented. I wanted her verbal consent, though.

"Well? Will my request be a problem?"

She sighed. "No."

"Good. One more thing."

Mrs. Green tilted her head to the side in curiosity as well as irritation. "Go on."

"I feel it's my job to inform you that my relationship with Edward Masen isn't just a High School fling. He and I both know that we're partners for life, and that means I will demand you to show him more respect. Starting with lifting the ban you've put on him."

She shook his head. "I can't allow students who have graduated to walk around on school property."

I laughed softly. "It's not a request, Mrs. Greene."

She immediately stood up and went to one of her shelves where I noticed for the first time that a white candle was burning. Mrs. Greene reached for a small wooden box of ashes and whispered to it.

"Guided spirits, hear my plea," she brought out a small cup with yellow powder, which she sprinkled into the box. From the smell of it, I was quite certain it was sulfur. While I tried to maintain my indifference to her, I couldn't help but to lean forward and take in everything she did.

A pinch of salt was added into the mix in the box, and lastly, she poured pure peroxide and water in the box. "Annul this magic. Let it be." She blew out the candle and then sat back down in her chair. "Done. Was there _anything_ else you wanted, Miss Alistair?" she asked through somewhat clenched teeth.

I had already been warned by Renee that she would react like this, and I knew that Mrs. Greene was a very powerful High Priestess. I didn't want her as my enemy, and I told her that. "I want us to work together, Mrs. Greene. I have intentions to make changes to our community, and that means that sometimes, some things have to be done that everyone won't agree with. Believe me when I say that I didn't come here only to have you do the things I've told you to do. I genuinely believe it will be for the greater good."

She offered me a folder with my name on it, and I knew it was my new schedule. "I hope you're right, Miss Alistair."

I gave her a nod and then stood up to leave. Once I'd exited the administration area, I sent Edward a text.

" **You have free passage. Meet me at my old locker. Tell Alice to come as well."**

The reply was instant.

" _ **Already bossing me around, are you, Angel?"**_

" **You bet."**

Classes had already begun, and I knew Mrs. Greene wouldn't be happy that I pulled Alice out of her math class after our meeting, but I had important things to tell her as well as Edward.

A few minutes later, Edward came walking down the corridor with Alice in tow. She didn't appear particularly surprised with my presence at school even though we'd only notified Mrs. Greene of my return.

"You were out, B," she said instead of a greeting. "Why would you ever choose to come back here?"

I smiled at her. "I have some business here I need to finish before I can move on."

"Tell me you knocked some sense into Banshee like you did with Mr. Masen." She smiled mirthfully. "I would have paid anything to have seen that."

"I found her a lot more cooperative than Marcus, so I didn't have to," I told her. "She has told me that she will stop with her special treatment of the school's Good Witches, and I will take her for her word. However, I couldn't get her to admit that she's been belittling either of you." I looked at them both seriously. "Until she truly starts seeing me as the leader I am supposed to be, I ask you to not antagonize her unnecessarily."

Alice grimaced. "You ask us to change ourselves?"

I immediately shook my head. "Not at all. I would never do that because I love both of you exactly the way you are. But I also need you to look at this rationally. She will look for excuses to treat you less than the others, so don't give her a reason to."

Alice and Edward exchanged a look, and while she appeared less willing, I could see that he was on my side, and he used his own authority over her to make her promise that she would do as I asked.

"Fine. I promise."

The rest of the day remained rather uneventful, and I started to wonder whether my feeling of having unfinished business at the school had been false. I had been so positive there was something besides talking to Mrs. Greene that needed to be done, but nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Until lunch.

I had convinced Edward to stick around for the day, and while he was unable to join me for class, he was there for the time in-between. At lunchtime, I got him to join Alice and me in the cafeteria.

However, as soon as we entered, I immediately sensed something off in the air, and I made a quick scan of the room.

What I saw wasn't what I expected, though.

It was Angela in a hissed confrontation with a girl I didn't recognize. The girl was easily one of the most attractive girls I had ever seen, and when she sneered at something Angela told her, I saw her large, doe-like eyes flash violet for the shortest second.

"Edward," I said and he looked at me questioningly. "Do you know who the girl Angela is fighting with is?"

He turned his eyes to the confrontation and an exasperated sigh escaped him. "That would be Rebecca Carey."

"Is she a Witch?"

His arm, which was around my shoulders, tightened. "What do you sense?"

I focused on the two girls, and I immediately picked up the taste of Angela's white magic, but Rebecca was more difficult to identify. It was similar to dark magic, but it wasn't as pure as in an Evil Witch. It was different. Not tainted or weak. Just different.

"I don't know," I mumbled. "I've never sensed anything like her before."

"You wouldn't have," Edward said. "Rebecca is a Siren."

My eyes widened and I looked at him in surprise. "A Siren? Are you serious?"

"Yes." He led me away from the scene toward a table as far away from them as possible, but I had a hard time letting it go. "I assume you've read about them."

"Of course I have. They're the lowest rank of Witch. Solely inclined toward dark magic. They acquire their strength by getting others to do their bidding until their victims no longer have a sense of free will."

Edward nodded and cast a glance back at the girls. "No one in the magic community really likes Sirens. Fortunately, Rebecca is still young and can't truly use her powers yet. It's the only reason Banshee's allowed her at this school really."

My own eyes were transfixed on the beautiful young girl. "So what you're saying is that even though she's allowed at this school, anyone who knows what she really is treats her like vermin?"

"Basically, yeah."

"That's disgusting," I said and once again felt my anger build up. "It's not her fault that she was born a Siren, and since she's not fully grown, she hasn't done anything that merits being treated with disdain."

"Yet," Edward pointed out.

I glared at him. "Why should she be judged for actions that are not hers? And you're not exactly one to talk. I might not know details, but I'm fairly certain you've done way worse than taking someone's free will from them."

"That's different," he insisted. "Sirens are like parasites."

"To you, perhaps, but certainly not to me," I said and stood up.

"Where are you going?" he asked in confusion.

I straightened my back until I felt I looked like a figure of authority. "I am going to right a wrong." I left Edward at the table and walked up to the girls. "What's the problem here?" I asked, and Angela gasped.

"Bella! I didn't know you were back," she said in a breathless voice.

"No, but I am, and I want to know what's going on here," I told her.

"Stay out of it," Rebecca spit at me, and it caused Angela to grimace at her.

"Do you have any idea who this is?" she rebuked the younger girl. "You should show her some respect."

Rebecca smirked rebelliously. "I know exactly who she is. I might be what I am, but it doesn't make me an imbecile."

I quickly interjected before Angela could reply. "I believe the three of us should have this conversation elsewhere. Somewhere we can talk … _undisturbed_." I cast a glance toward the nearest table of mortals, and while they were trying to hide it, they were raptly listening to the fight.

Rebecca gave me an uncooperative glare, but I challenged her with a look of my own, and eventually, she rolled her eyes and the three of us left the cafeteria to have our conversation behind the school.

A couple juniors I recognized but didn't know the name of had occupied the space to make out, but it was enough for the three of us to round the corner and they hurriedly buttoned up their clothes and left.

"Okay then," I said when we were finally alone. "I'd like to be informed what your discussion was about inside."

"Why do you care?" Rebecca huffed, and Angela was about to reprimand her again, but I stopped her.

"I care because both of you are a part of my community, and your behavior inside the cafeteria was unacceptable." Angela opened her mouth to protest. "Yes, even your behavior, Angela," I told her, and I noticed how Rebecca narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

I gestured for any one of them to begin, and with an ashamed sigh, Angela did.

"Rebecca was eating lunch with a mortal boy named Tyler. He was absolutely enthralled with her, and I feared that her powers had grown and that she was _'feeding'_ from him," she explained. "I went up to their table and said I wanted to talk to Rebecca, and then I reminded her that Mrs. Greene only accepts her attendance at this school as long as she doesn't use her powers on the students."

"And _I_ explained that I haven't received my powers yet," Rebecca said through clenched teeth. "The principal's _pet_ here didn't believe me, or that I might actually like Tyler for real."

"I see," I said and took a deep breath as I thought over my words. I could feel in the air around our trio that both of the girls in front of me expected me to lecture the Siren, but that wasn't what I had understood from the story. "Angela, I don't want to hear of you running on Mrs. Greene's errands anymore. It's not your job to tell other Witches what they can and cannot do, so you'd do best to refrain from that. Is that understood?"

Both girls gaped at me in surprise.

"Angela, would you leave me to speak to Rebecca alone?"

Still speechless, Angela did as I told her and went back inside.

"I was certain you would praise her," Rebecca mumbled. "Witches never take the side of the disgusting Siren."

I nodded because I understood what she meant. "This wasn't about choosing sides. Angela interfered in something that wasn't her business because she felt she had the right to do so. And all because of what she's been taught. It came to my attention today how other Witches see you and your family. It pissed me off to hear it because I know what it's like to be judged beforehand."

Rebecca looked away from me. "You're the first Witch to ever show any sort of sympathy."

I shrugged. "I am not like other Witches."

She let out an incredulous laugh. "No, I'm beginning to see that."

I turned to leave, but I remembered one last thing that I wanted to know. "Also, no matter what others of our community have told you, or what you've been taught, remember that you are also a Witch."

Rebecca's face slacked as she stared at me in shock. "Thank you," she said with such gratitude, it made my insides ache.

* * *

 **A/N:**

This whole dispute between Good and Evil Witches and that the rank in which you were born into matters so very much in this world was inspired by a lot of the problems our real-life world goes through right now. The fact that there are still beliefs out there that we are not of equal worth or that one religion/political view/sexuality etc is better than the other.

Since I can't do more than I am doing in my own reality, I'm hoping to at least fix it in the world I have created! :)

Give me your thoughts! I'd love to hear about them, and also, what do you think of Boss Bella? Is she taking her authority too far? Don't worry, I know it seems as if she's favoring the Evil side now, but remember she's neutral. She'll have her go with Good as well ;-)


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:**

I was so happy to see that you really liked the last chapter and that you agree with Bella learning to be a proper leader.

Now, this chapter will come with a couple of revelations about the prophecy Bella made!

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** _Unbeta'd_

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 413

* * *

 **{Chapter 17}**

I quickly found out that there weren't as many Witches attending the high school as I'd first believed. The magic presence I felt so strongly didn't belong to those in the present but was actually imprints left from every single magical being who had walked around in the corridors through the decades the school had existed.

It wasn't a particularly old school; it had been built sometime in the 50s, so I could only imagine what it must feel like to stand in a school building which had been around for much longer than that. However, it was quite a relief to know that the majority of the students were mortals. It made me feel less uncomfortable about the time I'd spent there without knowing about magic.

A week passed slowly, and that feeling I initially had that there was something I was supposed to do had diminished dramatically, yet it didn't feel like I'd actually done anything of importance. I questioned my decision to return, but only to myself.

The last thing I wanted was to hear Charlie and Edward tell me that they had been right.

So I went to my classes, I did my homework, and I kept my attitude toward the mortal teachers to a minimum because as the leader of the magical community, I felt I needed to set an example.

My change of attitude didn't go unnoticed. The first time one of the teachers asked me a question, and I answered without a hint of sarcasm, the entire class gasped in shock and stared at me for so long I eventually tired of it.

"Relax will you," I mumbled, and the room started to buzz with every student talking to each other about me up until the teacher called for everyone to settle down.

When class ended, I stood up and took out my phone to text Edward when I was stopped in the hall by Rebecca.

"Hey, Bella, do you have a moment?" she asked with a hopeful expression.

I pocketed my phone again. "Sure, Rebecca, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you'd like to join my … well, my coven for a get-together that we have this weekend?"

Surprised by the invitation, it took me a second to answer her. "Uh, yeah that'd be great."

"Great!" she said enthusiastically, but then her elation dropped a bit when she remembered something. "And I don't mean to be rude, but the invitation only includes yourself. Edward Masen isn't invited."

I was about to ask her why when she beat me to the punch.

"Just that my coven allows you to come is a great deal to them. We've all been scarred by other Witches, and you're the only one who's ever shown sympathy toward one of us. I know he's your partner, but Edward Masen doesn't have the best reputation among my kind."

"Right, well..." I momentarily hesitated because I knew how Edward would react when I told him about it, but then I wanted to roll my eyes at myself. After all, Edward wasn't the boss of me, and he could react however he wanted. It still wouldn't change my mind. "I'd still like to be there."

Rebecca gave me a small smile. "I'm glad. My parents can't wait to meet you."

She turned and left me.

I was quite amazed by the change in the girl. When I first met her, she reminded me a lot of myself. Suspicious of everything and filled to the brim with attitude and sarcasm, but now, just knowing that she had an ally in me had put a new bounce into her step, and the sight made me feel very pleased with myself.

I knew I'd done the right thing when I defended her.

The thought stopped me in my track.

Was that what my purpose had been with coming back to this school? Was it so that I could start to build bridges between those who had been previously shunned and those who shunned them?

A feeling in my gut told me it was, and I decided that unless anything happened that told me otherwise, I was just going to go with it.

 **§~TU~§**

On the night of the get-together with Rebecca's coven, I had borrowed Charlie's car to get myself there despite Edward's protests. He said that since he wasn't invited, he at least wanted to drive me to know where I was at.

"You've gotten worse about this protective thing since the day after Samhain," I said to him without hiding my annoyance. "What happened to not being my bodyguard?"

"Can you blame me for wanting to be close by?" he asked in return.

"Actually, I can." I'd sat down on my bed. "You're spending more time here than at your own apartment; you drive me to and from school every day, and you barely leave me to be by myself in the evenings," I counted off. "Why won't you let me do anything alone anymore? What is it that you're scared of?"

"I'm not scared," he'd retorted.

"Then what?"

He cupped my face. "You, Angel, don't like to be told when you're wrong or to even admit it to yourself in the first place. Being close to you is my way of being sure you won't act impulsive and do something stupid. It's not you I'm protecting because, believe me, I know you don't need it; it's everyone else."

His answer had caused me to laugh. "Have you replaced your powers with a halo? Who promoted you to Guardian Angel?"

"I'm more of a Hell's Gate bouncer," he said with a smirk. "Both of us know that between you and me, you're the Angel."

The only thing I'd done toward that statement was to roll my eyes. Our discussion had, however, helped us to work out another bump in our relationship, and Edward promised to trust me more and that I was capable to control myself and my temper.

I was aware of my less than desirable attributes and that I needed to work on them, however, that didn't mean I enjoyed having them thrown in my face. During those moments, I often caught myself wishing back to the time when Edward was just my boyfriend.

I put my hand in the pocket of my jacket and felt the cool metal of the amulet Edward had still insisted I take with me.

"It's not for protection," he had told me. "It's actually meant to maintain control. Maybe it can help you keep your visions secure. The last thing we want is for you to have a vision when none of us are around."

Once he'd explained it to me, I'd accepted the amulet willingly because he was right, after all. The visions I had always happened without warning, but luckily I'd only predicted that one really significant prophecy so far. The other visions I'd had weren't as draining or held much importance to me. Most of them focused on the weather, but there were times when I just saw Edward's back in front of me.

The latter ones continued to confuse me because it was clear my visions tried to tell me something, but not even Edward could explain why I only saw his back.

I gave the amulet one last squeeze before I climbed out of the car and went to knock on the front door.

"Bella, come on in," Rebecca greeted when she opened the door for me. "Everyone is out back by the pool. They're really excited to meet you."

"I feel like I'm not dressed right," I told her with a nervous laugh.

Rebecca was dressed in denim shorts, and a light-weight green top that shimmered like water when the light caught it just right while I was wearing long black pants, and a simple t-shirt.

"Don't worry about it," she reassured. "Sirens don't feel cold the same way others do, and part of our rituals happen in the water, but we're not requesting you to do the same."

She led me through the house and to a beautifully lush and green pool area occupied by ten other people. A couple who were intimidatingly attractive approached us, and it was impossible to not notice the resemblance between them and Rebecca.

The woman offered me her hand sort of timidly, almost as if she expected me to flinch away from it. "Welcome to our house, Miss Alistair. I'm Rebecca's mother, Donna, and this is her father, Orion."

I gladly accepted her hand and gave her a steady handshake to establish from the beginning that I didn't share my fellow Witches view of Sirens. "It's so nice to meet you both, and, please, call me Bella."

Donna smiled gratefully, albeit a bit surprised with how I talked to her. "Rebecca was right. You are different."

I chuckled at that. "So I've heard."

Donna leaned forward somewhat and lowered her voice. "Inviting Witches to our rituals isn't the norm, so you'll have to excuse the others if they are tense around you."

"I get that and don't worry. I'll be happy to just observe. Let the others know to pretend as if I'm not even here."

She gave me a beautiful smile. "Thank you."

The family of three turned away from me to attend to their others guests while I found myself a seat in the corner of the garden and settled down to watch the Siren Coven's ritual.

An older woman no less beautiful than the others stepped forward and held out her arms as if she wanted to embrace every person in the space we occupied. "The full moon is only an hour away," she spoke in a full and mature voice. "We should start by thanking Mrs. David for acquiring tonight's sacrifice." She gestured toward a young woman on a flower-covered altar by the far side of the pool. I hadn't noticed her when I first stepped outside. Maybe because she appeared to be unconscious and made no sound.

I clearly felt my opposing sides start fighting with each other. My Good side wanted to jump up and save the woman from what was about to happen to her while my Evil side was intrigued by the ritual.

The part of me that was a perfect mix of the two of them knew that it wasn't my place to interfere. Sirens were Witches like any of the others, and their way of life wasn't something I could stop or change.

Besides, I knew that the woman would walk out of here still very much alive. The only thing that would be different would be that she'd be more obedient than before as her strong, free will would be sucked out of her by the Sirens.

There were certainly worse fates than that. After all, she'd get to return to her family and loved ones after the night was over.

Five of the men present lifted up the altar to submerge it into the pool, but the top of it remained above the surface so the girl stayed dry.

"Everybody, gather!" the older woman said and all the Sirens climbed into the pool, their clothes floating out around their bodies in the water.

As soon as they were in a circle, the night grew lighter as the full moon rose above, and the coven joined hands as they started to sing a hauntingly beautiful melody.

 _Let the day slip away_

 _Velvet blue_

 _Silent true_

 _It embraces your heart and your soul_

 _Never cry, never sigh_

 _You don't have to wonder why_

 _And the dark night will watch over you_

There was a glow that emitted from the young woman's skin, making it look iridescent and she appeared to become even more relaxed, her breathing even deeper than before. And throughout, the Sirens continued their singing.

I was glad a Siren's song didn't affect other Witches because the call of the song was clear, even to me, and I could understand how humans were rendered completely powerless toward it.

The ritual was undeniably beautiful as the Sirens swayed together in the water.

The glow from the girl brightened until it left her body and separated into equal parts that embraced each Siren and they stopped their movement abruptly and bent their necks backward as if to take in the feeling completely.

Soon, the glow died down, and the Sirens dispersed. The men carried the alter out of the pool before one of them took the girl in his arms and left with her. I assumed he was taking her home as she'd given them what they wanted.

Rebecca pulled herself up out of the pool and came up to me, her clothes dripping with water, yet she didn't shiver against the freezing winds that had picked up. I noticed that her eyes were continuously flashing from her regular blue-green to violet.

"We do this once a month so that us younger Sirens can feed," she explained as she sat down. "When the younger generation can feed on their own, the rituals stop until the next young Sirens come along."

I nodded in understanding. "What would happen if you didn't feed?" I asked curiously. Nowhere in my books about Witches had there been anything in there about Sirens' fate would they stop feeding.

"Simple," Rebecca replied. "We die. Sirens aren't Sirens without our power to control the human mind. It's the way it has always been and the way it will always be. There is no other way for us to live, and we don't want to either. We're Evil creatures after all. Not at all like … _Fairies_." She grimaced as she said the last word, and it made me laugh.

"No, I wouldn't say that you are," I agreed. "But Fairies are your Good equal," I reminded her. "And there can never be one without the other."

She rolled her eyes. "Doesn't mean I have to like them, though."

"Of course not. I wouldn't ask you to. And I'm sure the Fairies aren't particularly fond of you, either."

We shared a laugh, but then, Rebecca gave me a frown.

"What is it like?"

"What?"

"Having both Good and Evil in you? Isn't it conflicting?"

I smiled. "Constantly. But I wouldn't change it. It's who I am; who I have always been. Sometimes, it's even relieving to know that you can see something from all perspectives and not just one."

"Sounds like a whole lot of responsibility, though," Rebecca grimaced.

"You have no idea."

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I saw that it was a text from Renee.

" _ **Come home now! Charlie has figured out a part of the prophecy!"**_

A small gasp escaped me, and Rebecca gave me a curious look.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, everything's fine, but I'm afraid I have to go." I stood up from my seat. "Thank you for inviting me to see this. It was remarkable."

"It was our pleasure," she responded, a bit stunned at my sudden need to go. When I was just about to go, she reached out and grabbed my wrist to stop me. "If there's ever a favor I can help you with, Bella, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," I said earnestly before I left.

Half an hour later, I walked through the front door of my home, and I was surprised when I saw that not only was Renee and Charlie in the living room but Edward as well. He'd gone home to his own place just before I left earlier. That he was back now meant that Renee had contacted him as well, but why?

"You figured out the prophecy?" I asked Charlie without conveying my confusion about Edward's presence.

"Part of it," Charlie corrected. "It's still far from being entirely decoded, but at least it's a start."

"What have you got?" I sat down on the arm of the seat Edward was occupying, and he immediately placed his hand on my thigh. We exchanged a look, and it became obvious to me that he didn't know why he was there either.

"These are theories," Charlie warned us. "But I'm fairly certain of them, also."

"Okay."

He held out the paper on which I'd written the prophecy when I first predicted it. "You said the only thing you remember from that vision is that it was obviously summer, right?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Well, that, combined with the first part: _The ones born close to when t_ _he Earth was awash with fertility and fulfillment_ _close in on their destiny._ It has me believing it refers to two people born in the summer, more specifically; close to the summer solstice." He locked his eyes onto Edward, whose jaw slackened with shock. "Your birthday is on June 20th, right?"

He nodded in stunned silence.

I was equally shocked, but my ability to speak was, fortunately, still with me. "Are you saying that this prophecy is about Edward?"

Charlie looked at me. "Could be. I'm ninety-nine percent certain it is."

I swallowed hard as I thought of another part of the prophecy. _Blood must be spilt._ I felt nauseous, but I forced myself to continue listening to Charlie.

"The 'stones and steel' part is easy to understand. It means it has to be fulfilled without magic. It doesn't exactly explain why, though."

Edward ran his hand through his hair agitatedly. "Who is the other person it refers to? The one, I guess, I am supposed to meet."

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know. Could be anyone who has a birthday close to your own. Does it ring a bell with you?"

"No." Edward shook his head. "The closest I've come to anyone having a birthday around my own is Heidi, but her birthday is in May. I don't think that's close enough."

"No, it's not," Charlie agreed.

Renee stood silently in the corner, and I turned to her. "What do you think, Renee?"

She startled as if I'd pulled her from a deep thought. She sighed. "I was just thinking that it sounds like a prophecy of a fight between Good and Evil. _T_ _he whisper and promise of a return to the Dark_ _, or the start of the golden age._ Edward is obviously Evil, so his opponent should be someone Good."

Edward shot up from his seat, an angry scowl on his face. "So you're saying it's impossible that the prophecy could refer to me as the deliverer of 'the golden age'? You think it absolutely has to be a Good Witch that does it, right?"

"Can you blame me?" she asked calmly. "It's the way it's always been."

"But not the way it will continue to be," I disagreed with her. "It doesn't sit right with me," I mumbled as I slowly pulled Edward down into his seat again. "It's too easy and straightforward to believe it's between Good and Evil. My instincts tell me that's not what it means."

A headache was building behind my eyes and I rubbed my temples. "Do you know anything else, Charlie?"

"No, that's all I have for now, but I'm not letting this go. You have my word."

"Thank you." I stood up and looked at my companions. "I'm not feeling very well. I think I need to go to bed."

"Do you want me to stay or leave?" Edward asked me, still in his seat.

"I always _want_ you to stay, but this time, I think you should leave. I have a feeling it's important."

He nodded. "I've accepted to never argue against your feelings anymore. Call me in the morning, Angel, okay?"

"Sure."

We kissed and then he left while I went up the stairs to my bedroom. I was positive Charlie would stay all night with the prophecy, and I was endlessly grateful for it. I also knew that Renee was worried I was favoring my Evil side too much as I'd spent a lot of my time around Evil ever since everything started.

I would reassure her tomorrow by asking her to show me what she loved the most about the Good side of magic.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Sooooo … what did you think about that?

Most of you immediately assumed the prophecy was about Bella, but lookie, lookie, it was about Edward! Question is, who is the other person?

Do you agree with Renee? Does it have to be someone from the good side, or is it a bit more complicated than that like Bella believes?

Let me know your thoughts, and I might be able to give you chapters a bit faster!

As Always,

Stay Awesome!


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:**

Are you ready for chapter 18 and to see some practices of White Magic? :-D

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** _Unbeta'd_

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 049

* * *

 **{Chapter 18}**

When I woke up the next day, I was relieved that my headache was gone, and once I'd taken a shower, I felt refreshed and energized; almost like a new person.

Maybe it was that the prophecy I'd predicted was slowly being deciphered and we were getting some answers, or maybe it was something else entirely. I simply felt more positive than I'd felt in a long time.

As I actually skipped down the stairs, I wasn't all too surprised to see that Charlie was still sitting on the couch and writing notes.

"Let me guess," I said. "You haven't slept a wink, have you?"

"Of course not," he replied, and strangely enough, he didn't sound tired at all. " _Some_ of us have things too important to ignore to waste time on sleep."

I realized he was reprimanding me for going to bed last night, but I wasn't going to let him bring me down today. "Normally, a statement like that would piss me off, but I'm just gonna let you stew in your own bitterness this time."

My comment caused Charlie to freeze for a second before turning to look at me over his shoulder. "You're in a good mood, I see."

"Yes, I am," I said and gave him a smile that wasn't the least bit sarcastic. "I don't know why, exactly, but I feel peaceful. As if everything is falling into place."

He scrutinized me for a moment, and then he appeared to shudder. "No, I think it's worse than that. It seems your Evil side has been drained and your Good side has taken control for now."

I thought about it and then nodded. "You're probably right. I do feel less Evil than I usually do. Oh well, I guess it'll balance itself out again, so I'm not going to worry. I'm gonna fix myself breakfast, you want some."

Charlie grimaced. "No. And get your chipper self away from me. You're making me nauseous."

"Okay," I replied and made my way to the kitchen where I found Renee pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Good morning! Got a cup for me as well?"

Renee blinked at me in surprise. "Uh, good morning." Still confused by my good mood as Charlie had been, she poured another cup and handed it to me. "How are you feeling?"

I took a sip of the coffee and smiled at her. "I feel great. In fact, I have a suggestion I want to run by you."

"Okay." She put down her cup and gave me her full attention. "What is it?"

"I know I've appeared to have favored Evil lately." I leaned forward on the counter between us. "I want you to know that's not the case. I still cherish my Good side, but I admit I don't know much about white magic. I was hoping you and I could spend the day together, and you could teach me."

It was clear that Renee hadn't expected that, but she was also happy. However, I could detect a slight hesitance in her, and I knew why.

"Without Edward or Charlie, naturally," I said hurriedly. "They'd only be a distraction for me."

The hesitance melted away from Renee's face and was replaced with joy. "Sounds like a wonderful idea. And I know just the place for us to work undisturbed." She walked around the counter and held out her hand. "Take my hand and say this spell after me. Goddess and spirits I ask your charity—"

" _Goddess and spirits I ask your charity_ —"

"Lend me your focus and clarity."

" _Lend me your focus and clarity._ "

"Lead me to the place I want to find—"

" _Lead me to the place I want to find—"_

"So I can have peace of mind."

" _So I can have peace of mind."_

A feeling of being pulled by my midsection and leaving my stomach behind went through me, and I opened my eyes in shock, only to realize Renee and I were no longer in the kitchen at home. We were standing in the middle of a clearing in a forest, and despite the icy November winds in town, the clearing was green and filled with life as if it was in the middle of the summer there.

"Whoa," I breathed out in awe. "Where are we?"

"A protected spot in a forest in Scandinavia," Renee replied with a serene smile. "Mortals can't access it, and the magic performed here causes the clearing to always bloom."

"It's breathtaking."

Renee was silent behind me, but I could feel her eyes on me. When I turned to face her, there was pride in her eyes. "You feel it, don't you?" she asked and took a deep breath.

I knew I felt something. The feeling couldn't be explained, but it was there, and it was powerful. Fortunately, I didn't have to explain it. Renee knew.

"It's the presence of the Goddess. This is one of the few places on earth where she has appeared in a corporeal form," she explained.

I inhaled sharply in shock. "You mean you've seen her?"

Renee nodded. "Yes, but what I saw wasn't her only form. The Goddess can take whatever shape she wishes whether that's an animal, an element, or any other living being. The form she took when I saw her was that of an old coven member of mine. One who is no longer alive and hasn't been since the beginning."

I slowly walked around the clearing to take it all in. "You're talking about it as if it was just recently you saw her."

"It was. You remember the night Charlie and I told you who you really are, don't you?"

A somewhat sarcastic laugh escaped me. "I'm not likely to ever forget that," I said, and she smiled at me in agreement.

"Well, I went here after your little escape routine with Edward, and we had no idea where you'd disappeared to." A light blush burned my cheeks as I thought of my behavior my last night as a normal teenager. "We knew you'd come home eventually, but we also had a feeling it was time to tell you everything. I prayed in this spot for the Goddess's advice. Normally, she'd answer them by placing thoughts in my head, but she acknowledged your situation was quite special and needed certain attention."

"I could use some of her advise now as well," I said softly and sighed to myself. "It feels as if I've been thrown into a pool filled with sharks, but no one taught me to swim." I looked at Renee. "No offense to you, but the magic I learned didn't tell me how to be a leader."

"It's fine, Bella. The magic we taught you was never supposed to tell you anything." She grabbed my hand and held it tightly in hers as she led me over to a stone altar partially hidden from view. "It was supposed to help you trust in yourself and your own ability. You were born for this. Being a leader is in your blood, and once you embrace that, it'll come to you naturally." She touched the altar, which started to glow before several tools and ingredients appeared on and around it. "As I've been told, you've already displayed great diplomatic skills, and that's not to be taken lightly."

"Thanks," I said, but I was still unsure. "It's just that I feel so insignificant around you, Charlie, and even Edward. You know so much about everything because you've lived it for so long. So far, I've relied on what comes naturally to me, and it feels as if one misstep will bring the entire thing down."

"Which is why I'm going to show you that you didn't become a Witch overnight." On the altar, there were knives, apples, dried corn leaves, and twigs of several different herbs. She grabbed a knife and started slicing the apples. "Your powers might have been dormant until you accepted your heritage, but you were born a Witch, and natural magic is all around us." She gestured around the clearing. "In nature, and the elements. Good Witches tap into that knowledge more often than Evil Witches, but as with everything else, there are two sides of natural magic as well." She handed me the apple halves to hold. "Since you came to me, I am obviously going to focus on the Good side of it, and we'll start with apples."

I nodded as I remembered something I read about. "Yes, apples are the fruit of knowledge, right?"

Renee smiled. "Exactly, and they hold a natural pentagram in their core," she said and pointed at the seeds forming a star. "As you know, the pentagram and pentacle represent good, pure, and white magic. That's why it's a symbol of light and love. Apples can, therefore, be used and combined with protection herbs such as rosemary and lavender to create a protected circle."

She nodded for me to place the lavender and rosemary against the core of the apple. Then we walked in a large circle around the altar while dropping the apple halves on the ground by each point that represented one of the elements in a pentagram.

"The altar is built in a conical shape to channel and center the magic inside the circle," she continued to explain, and lastly, she pointed up at the sun. "Whenever you have lost your way, travel from east to west, and evil no longer leads you astray." She met my eyes. "It was a rhyme we taught children long ago before Witches and magic were feared by mortals."

"It's just amazing," I said and sat down on the ground. "All of this knowledge that you have inside. How do you stay sane?"

"Simply knowing that being a Witch is a constant journey toward new things is enough for me," she said and sat down next to me. "That journey grants us knowledge, and knowledge is power." She stroked my cheek lovingly. "Magic is in everything we do, and that also means it's all about how we use it. Good Witches revere all of this and preserve it. Nature is our legacy."

"What about Evil Witches?" I had to ask. It was half of me after all.

Renee thought for a short moment, most likely in order to come up with a way to speak of her opposites in a way that wouldn't offend me. "Evil Witches have some reverence, but as you've already experienced, they prefer to not commune with the Goddess in her most natural form. They still believe in her, of course. She is as much a part of their magic as she is ours," she said to reassure me that I wasn't fighting a losing battle in my hope of somehow reuniting Good and Evil. "Evil Witches simply have a different way of thinking. They're more forward and innovative. I'd say their legacy is our current society. Mortals may not know of us, but they can still sense us. Since Evil Witches don't hide as much as Good Witches do, their sense of greed has infected today's humans."

"I guess that's why it's time for a new age," I said, mostly to myself, but Renee was intently listening. "Good Witches had the past; Evil Witches have the present, and Neutral Witches has the future."

"Precisely. You're understanding it now. Being a leader means learning from the past, and the present, but also having faith that you're moving in the right direction."

I leaned my head against her shoulder. "Thank you for this."

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I was hoping you'd come to me and ask about this, but in truth, I was getting a bit impatient." We laughed together and it felt incredibly freeing. "I know you have Good in you because I can feel it, but it's true that most of your social circle involves Evil Witches. Maybe you'd be willing to balance it out if I were to introduce you to a few friends of mine?"

I looked around the clearing in confusion. "Are they here now?"

"No, but Witches can hear an Original's calling, so I can easily ask them to join us."

Admittedly, I was hesitant because at that moment, my only encounters with Good Witches, excluding Renee, had been rather unpleasant. But then again, the atmosphere at school was vastly different from the one we were surrounded by now.

"Okay then," I said. "I've already committed to practicing white magic all day. I might learn more from these friends of yours."

"Only if you want to," Renee said with earnest eyes. "I would never force you."

I smiled. "I know. And I do want to. My father would have wanted me to learn about his heritage as well."

Renee closed her eyes, and a warm breeze blew in our direction. There was a presence in it which told me the Goddess was pleased we were gathering in her sacred place.

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps in the grass, and then four people emerged from the trees; two men and two women. They were strangers to me, but as with previous meetings with magical beings, I could sense their magic. It was powerful in these four individuals, much more powerful than what I'd felt from Angela or even Mrs. Greene.

Both Renee and I stood up and the four of them fell to their knees in front of us.

"Blessed be," they said in chorus before rising again. One of the men took a step forward, effectively acting as a spokesperson for the others. "It is an honor to be called upon by a Witch of the Old and our prophesied leader. What may we do for you?"

"Garrett, there's no need for formalities here," Renee told the man. It was clear they knew each other from before. "I've asked you all to come here to give Bella the chance of meeting the coven leaders in America at least. She's a bit out of practice with her white magic, but she's a quick study."

Garrett turned to me with a warm smile. "Before we denounce all formalities, I have to say what an absolute pleasure it is to meet you, Miss Alistair. I've known about your prophecy my entire life, and being in your presence now is humbling."

Feeling quite uncomfortable by his praise of my character even though I'd been warned there would be those who did so made me feel at a loss for words. However, I knew I needed to speak because if Renee spoke for me, I'd appear an ignorant child in need of constant supervision.

I took a deep breath to calm down, and then I returned Garrett's smile. "It's a pleasure for me to meet you all as well. I hope I will live up to your expectations." I didn't tell them they could call me Bella because I didn't want to lose their respect when they'd asked to extend the formalities until introductions were over at least.

Garrett turned to introduce the others. "Miss Alistair, these are my friends and fellow coven leaders; Carlisle, Margaret, and Emily."

Renee took over. "Bella has some extraordinary experience working with the elements, but I want her to experience it while in such close proximity with the Goddess as we all are here. Would you be willing to assist me?"

This time, Carlisle was the one to speak up. "Gladly, Renee. Have you a formation in mind?"

"Bella should channel Spirit, and I want you, Carlisle, to take Fire. Margaret on Air, Emily on Water, and Garrett on Earth."

I followed the others in silent curiosity until we stood in position around the altar, and I immediately understood why Renee had us prepare a circle before. Even though she wasn't certain I would have wanted to meet the others, she had wanted everything done ahead in case things went as she hoped.

Subtly, I looked at the others. I had Margaret on my left side and Emily on my right, and I realized with a start that they were waiting for me to lead them into the circle. I quickly scrambled through my head for the circle ritual I'd performed in the cabin weeks ago with Renee, Charlie, and Edward.

" _Magic of the Universe dwells in here_

 _By the power of the Goddess, the almighty seer_

 _By the power of Lightning, our visions are strong_

 _By the power of our ancestors we belong_

 _The earth, the fire, the sea, the sky, and spirit we claim_

 _Our powers roam freely in this domain._ "

I immediately noticed a difference in this ritual because the others didn't call for their elements out loud. They had their eyes closed, and their mouths sealed, yet I could feel as each element joined the circle, much more powerful in one way compared to the last time I felt them, but also weaker since I didn't hold them all myself this time.

It was my turn to call for the Spirit, and I gave it all my attention, stripping away all the distractions I felt inside and said the words in my mind's eye.

" _I call for Animus."_

The Spirit entered the circle, but it was somewhat confused, most likely because I'd called for it in a non-verbal manner, and I'd never done it before, but when the element understood that it'd done the right thing, it shed its confusion and supported me fully as it had before. It recognized me as someone who understood it and welcomed me into its embrace.

Suddenly, everything around me melted away. The sounds of the clearing, the others breathing, and even my own heartbeat; everything became completely quiet. I wasn't really feeling anything either, but it wasn't an altogether uncomfortable feeling.

At that moment, I just was. Nothing more, nothing less.

Still, I was confused, and I couldn't keep my eyes closed any longer.

However, when I opened them, I saw the last thing I expected.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Sorry about the cliffie, but I had to stop the chapter here. It just happened naturally.

So what do you think she sees? Share your thoughts and let me know :)

As Always,

Stay Awesome!


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:**

This is one of the longer chapters I've written. I loved to read your guesses on who Bella saw, and I hope I'm not disappointing you with what I've written ;-)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 987

* * *

 **{Chapter 19}**

"Edward? What are you doing here?" I asked out loud as he approached me with an easy grin. I wasn't all too concerned about the circle because it felt as if it had been closed.

That in itself caused me to look around the clearing, but the others; Emily, Margaret, Carlisle, Garrett, and Renee were nowhere to be seen. Neither was the stone altar. It was only a smooth clearing.

But Edward was still walking to me.

Was I having another vision? It didn't feel like it. Everything felt real, and wasn't shrouded in symbolism, but then what?

Not until Edward was right in front of me did the realization come to me that it wasn't Edward even though the person in front of me looked exactly like him; apart from the eyes. The eyes were a swirling rainbow of colors which continuously changed, and when he touched my hand, I felt a singe of power jolt through me.

I knew then who was in front of me. "You're..." I breathed, and the non-Edward smiled even wider.

"I am." Even the voice was an exact replica of Edward's. It made me feel very confused.

"Why—" I started but stopped myself. I had to shake my head just accept that it was real. "Why Edward's form?"

"I usually take the form of the one most trusted by the person I'm meeting. In this case, Edward Masen." He held out his hands from his body as if to show me how good of a replica he was. "It's supposed to make it easier to talk."

I rubbed my eyes with my fingers. "I'd prefer if you took the form of someone I don't know because this is making me uncomfortable."

Non-Edward shrugged, and then he slowly morphed before me until the one who stood before caused me to gasp. I'd only seen her once in my mind, and then in photos, but it was no doubt the form of my mom; Marie Sinclair.

"Is this better?" she asked, and for the first time since I was a baby, I heard the soft tones of her voice. It brought back a plethora of memories from when she sang lullabies to me.

"Well, I never got to know her, so I guess. What should I call you, though?"

She smiled. "I have no name at the same time as I have every name. I am 'It' and 'That'. I am 'Nothing' and 'Everything'."

"Right," I replied and looked around the clearing. It felt surreal that I was standing there with the Goddess herself, and I didn't know how to act. "You wanted to talk?"

"Actually, I believe it was you who sought advice," she corrected. She gestured with her hand for us to sit down on a bench which had suddenly appeared from out of the blue. "As I've understood it, you're uncertain of yourself, and your ability to fulfill the destiny the Seer foresaw. Correct?"

"That's one of my worries, at least," I said, unable to be anything but honest. "There's just so much, and I feel like I don't understand half of it." I sat down on the bench and sighed before turning to look into those swirling rainbow eyes. "It was confusing enough with the prophecy, but then I became an Original, and then a Seer, and I just..." I trailed off, but she seemed to already know what I had left unsaid.

"You're not confident you can handle the responsibility of three major roles in our community," she stated softly. "Feeling scared is normal, Bella. You're not the first one to come to me feeling this way."

"I get that," I said because I knew the likelihood of that was slim. "What I don't get is why you gave such excessiveness of gifts on me. Why am I so special apart from the prophecy?"

"I didn't do all of that."

I knew the look I gave her must have looked strange, but I truly didn't grasp what she was saying. "What?"

With a gesture of her hand, she directed me to look at a spider's web in a nearby tree. "The world is made up like a web, and each small thread represents a person's destiny. Some threads cross while others don't. At the crossing point, the two threads become one. You could say for that moment in time, they share destinies."

I wanted to understand her poetic explanation so badly, and while I sort of got her meaning, her reason behind telling me continued to elude. "Okay, but what does that have to do with—"

"On the day you were born, and your prophecy came into effect, there were two clear paths for your life to take, and it remained so until the day you crossed paths with Edward Masen. That day, a third previously unknown path opened its gate. Your choice to become a Neutral Witch wasn't something I made happen. And neither was it I who gave you the Seer's power."

"Then who?" I was feeling more confused, and a little bit scared, with every passing second.

"The passing down of a Seer's magic can only be done by the previous Seer, and most often, it's to a descendant, either far into the future, or more closely related. Since you're neither, I can only tell you that the person who is supposed to possess this magic still has a few things to learn. However, prophecies must still be predicted, and therefore you're acting as a vessel until the time is right."

"A vessel?" I asked. "So the power will be taken from me when the true next Seer is ready?"

"Yes."

I felt instant relief toward that news. The Seer magic had never felt fully comfortable to me, and to have the knowledge that it was because it wasn't magic intended for me made me feel so much better about myself.

"Is there something I have to do to get the next Seer ready?" I asked. I had no way of knowing who it could be. As far as I knew, it could be anyone.

"It has not yet been decided who the next Seer is. There are events in the grand design yet to happen before it can be determined." She could clearly see it wasn't the answer I'd hoped for, and she gently placed her hand under my chin. "I know you don't like the visions, but they are important, and they need to be predicted. Especially those potentially detrimental ones like the one which is now plaguing your thoughts."

I swallowed hard as a lump formed in my throat. "Edward's prophecy."

"Exactly. He trusts you more than anyone else, and with you being the vessel of Seer magic, you have the power to tell him the information he needs to know." She smiled lovingly at me and cupped my cheek. "I know it's not much. Like you, I am Neutral and therefore I can't give you all the answers you seek as that would be to favor one over the other. What I can tell you is that everything will become clear with time."

"I'm worried about him," I admitted. "The way he reacted toward Renee's theories yesterday wasn't what I expected. He seemed genuinely hurt that she'd think he'd be the bringer of such darkness."

"That is something you need to discuss with him, but I can give you a push in the right direction. I know you haven't spoken with him about the Evil magic he performed before you. A part of you wants to avoid that topic, and it's understandable. You're afraid you will truly see how Evil he can be. But it's necessary. If you don't, the prophecy will become moot."

"Why?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you any more." She stood up and started to walk away from.

I remained sitting for a moment, but just before she disappeared out of sight, I shot up on my feet. "I want to be a great leader. I really do. But what will I do if other Witches refuse to follow me? I am nowhere near experienced enough to prove I deserve the position."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Experience isn't everything. You have a natural talent at listening to people and make informed decisions. No one can be forced to follow, but your reputation already precedes you. I think you'd be surprised if you knew the support you have out there. My only advice is to continue doing what you have been doing so far."

"That's not really comforting," I said, and she smiled again.

"I know, but no matter what I say, you won't really believe me until you see it for yourself. Won't you, Bella?" Still smiling, she slowly faded away.

I blinked, and the clearing was once again changed. The altar was back, and so was the people. They were all looking at me, but not as if a lot of time had passed. They simply looked at me as if they waited for me to join them. Clearly, my time with the Goddess hadn't been noticed.

"Her skills are very impressive," Margaret said to Renee. "She's better at the craft than a lot of other Witches I've come across."

The need to keep my meeting with the Goddess to myself helped me to pretend as if I knew exactly what had happened after we called the elements. In truth, I couldn't remember a single second of it, or even that we'd closed the circle, but we obviously must have. But while I appeared present on the outside, my mind was still reeling.

"She's definitely not the average Witch," Carlisle agreed.

"So you will spread the word then?" Renee asked. "In your communities?"

"Count us in," Emily said with a smile, but by now, I could take in their words, and I was left feeling confused.

Garrett walked up to me, grabbed my hand in his and placed a light kiss on the back of it. "Blessed be, Miss Alistair. It has been such a pleasure."

I gave him a tentative smile, still not completely comfortable with his adoring looks. "Same to you, Garrett. Blessed be."

The four all said their goodbye before disappearing in the same direction they came, and I turned back to Renee, filled with questions. "What was that you said? About spreading the word in their communities?"

"It's imperative you start creating your supporting network," she explained. "Ever since you came to your powers, you've remained at home, but the word needs to get around that you exist, and that you're at least as powerful as the prophecy predicted. Our community needs to know that you're ready to take your place."

I understood then why Renee had invited those four Witches. "You didn't just want me to meet the coven leaders, right?"

She shook her head. "No. I wanted them to witness your power. Firsthand accounts are better than hearsay."

I nodded, but an idea was slowly forming in my head. It was an idea we'd already touched upon the morning I discovered my Seer powers, and it had never really left me. Now, it became clearer with every second that it was exactly what I needed to do.

Renee had said it. The Goddess had said it, sort of. Edward had said. My visions had said it. What more incentive did I need?

None.

It was time, and I didn't want to waste it. I wouldn't waste it.

I was going to leave home. I was going to go out in the world and find the answers the Goddess couldn't give me. I was going to present myself to my community all over; let them see me so they could know I was real. I was going to meet the rouges. And I was going to search for the previous Seer's library, the one I'd seen in his memories, and there I hoped I would find out what had happened to him, as well as what Edward's prophecy meant.

Because where else could I possibly find answers?

 **§~TU~§**

I took a deep breath before I knocked on the front door of Edward's apartment. Nerves I never felt around him fluttered in my stomach because I wasn't certain how he would react toward what I'd come to talk to him about.

But I was going to listen to the Goddess. She was right; I had been avoiding the topic of Edward's past because I'd wanted to hold on to the one thing that had always felt right to me.

I couldn't avoid it anymore because I'd come to the decision that I was leaving in a couple of days, as soon as I had fixed everything I needed, and my hope was that Edward would come with me. He'd already said he would, but before he and I could be alone for months while traveling all over the world, we needed to lay all the cards on the table. No secrets.

It took a moment, and then he opened the door. I hadn't called or texted beforehand, so he wasn't expecting me, and it was quite obvious by the state of his appearance. His hair was tousled, and he was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt while rubbing his eyes. Apparently, I'd dragged him out of bed.

Since it wasn't particularly early in the day, I could only assume he'd been out late, and this would be the first time since I was brought into the fold that I would ask for details.

"Angel?" His voice was hoarse, but he was already stepping aside and letting me in, so he obviously didn't mind me being there too much. "Is something wrong?"

I couldn't blame him for believing so because normally, I always texted or called first. My impromptu visit told him it wasn't just a social call. I sat down on the couch to wait while he got himself a cup of coffee.

Edward's apartment wasn't especially big. It was just enough for one person, maybe two, to live comfortably, and I had always loved being there with him. It had been a sanctuary while I still thought Renee and Charlie were my parents, and I needed to get away to clear my head. His door was always open to me, and even though we never slept together back then, I'd spent a few nights there.

The living room was warm and inviting. Even more so now that the blinds were down, and the glow from the lights brought out the different shades in the wooden furniture.

With a steaming cup in his hands, Edward sat down next to me, and as he blew on the hot coffee, I had to smile. When he was like this, I could almost forget he was this powerful Evil Witch who'd most likely done things I couldn't even imagine. After today, I wouldn't have to.

"Were you out last night?" I asked, deciding to not skip around the subject, but at least attempt a smooth transition into the more difficult stuff.

He nodded and took a sip. "Yeah. Jimmy, Alice, and I were. They're pretty much the only ones who gladly go against my father."

His words threw me off guard, and I had to ask him to clarify. "What do you mean? Has Marcus ordered our friends to not see you?"

"Kind of." He shrugged. "He didn't like that I walked out on him after the debacle on Samhain, but he doesn't want to exclude me from the coven either, so he's punishing me through isolation." Despite his dejecting words, he chuckled. "He didn't anticipate some to feel more loyal toward me than him."

I didn't want to involve myself anymore in Edward's relationship with his dad, so I dropped the subject and tried to get back to the issue at hand. "So what did you guys do?"

"Nothing really. More of the usual," he said evasively then turned to me with a devilish smirk. "I heard you spent yesterday with Renee. Don't tell me she stuffed your head full of white magic goo."

"Don't hate on my Good side," I said with my own teasing smile. "If you're not careful, she might turn on you."

"Who? Renee?"

I shook my head and leaned forward to kiss his lips, warmed up by the coffee. "No. Me."

He laughed. "You're always talking about your two sides as they're two different people."

"Sometimes, that's what it feels like." I sighed and leaned away from him again. It was obvious I would have to be more blunt if I was going to get him to talk. I cleared my throat and then looked him straight in the eye. "Okay, look. I know this isn't something we have talked about before, but I think it's time we do."

He gave me a surprised look. "What exactly? Are you coming here to tell me you're pregnant or something?" he asked in a joking manner.

I wasn't in the mood to joke around, so I placed my hand on his arm. "No, Edward, I'm serious. I really need to talk to you about this."

He took a hold of my hand, kissed the back of it and entwined our fingers. "Alright, I'm listening. What is it?"

"I need you to tell me what you do when you go out with your coven; what you have done in the past, and what you still do today. You know all those things you never told me before because I had to be kept in the dark."

An inquisitive frown creased his forehead. "Why? You never seemed interested in knowing about it before. Why is it important now?"

"I have my reasons," I said, deliberately keeping quiet about what the Goddess had said to me.

"Did you have another vision? Is that what this is about?" Edward suddenly asked urgently. "Is it the prophecy? Have you found out any more about what it means?" He was getting worked up, and I immediately tried to calm him down again.

"No, no, no. It's not about any of that." I knew that wasn't completely true, but I didn't want to worry him needlessly. The prophecy already weighed heavily on his mind. "I just feel that there is this whole side of you that I don't know about. And I want to." I thought for a moment on how to form the words just right. "Before I was told the truth, I would have gladly lived my life in ignorance about it all because the only thing that mattered to me was that I had an insanely attractive boyfriend who made my entire body tingle whenever he looked at me."

He smiled but didn't interrupt me.

"The teenager I used to be was embarrassingly shallow. As long as you said you wanted me and made me feel like I was on top of the world, I was content." I reached out my free hand and cupped his cheek. "I'm not saying any of that has changed. I'm just saying that both you and I know what's between us isn't a simple high school crush, but in order to get on that deeper level with each other, we can't hide parts of ourselves anymore."

He placed his own hand over mine on his cheek and then turned to kiss my palm. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Give me an example," he said. "Ask me whatever you want."

I decided to go big immediately. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Yes," he answered without hesitance. "Both directly and indirectly."

"Indirectly?"

He gave me a pointed look; telling me it wasn't that hard to figure out. And I did get what he was saying, but I still wanted to hear him say it instead of assuming. "As you already knew, I have no power over good-minded people; Witches or mortals. I can, however, encourage a robber to kill his victim, or take away a greedy CEO his sympathy for the poor so he doesn't give to charity." He shrugged. "You know, small things that set the ball in motion."

I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I had already known it wouldn't be easy to hear his confessions, so I swallowed it down. "And the ones you've killed directly?"

"Mortals, mostly. People who have witnessed magic and would have exposed us all."

"Do you ever feel remorse?"

"No." He shook his head, and it felt as if a stone settled in my stomach until he explained further. "It's impossible to kill anyone who wasn't supposed to die in the near future. That it happened by my hands was just how it was intended."

"Seriously?" I was feeling more intrigued now than uneasy.

"Yes, and while it might appear unsympathetic to those close to the one I killed, it wouldn't have made a difference if I didn't do it. The person would still have to die. Just in another way."

"I guess, but—"

"Angel, death is inevitable, and it's not the ultimate crime against humans. It's not the worst someone can be subjected to, even though it can feel like it for those who outlive someone else."

"Okay, but if killing someone isn't, according to you, the worst thing you've done … what is?" I was somewhat afraid to ask, but he'd explained killing, and almost justified it, so well that I kind of hoped the worst wouldn't be so bad.

He thought for a moment. "Personally, by myself, I haven't done a whole lot worse, but together with my coven, we've fueled conflict, we cause people to second-guess themselves, or strengthened someone's inner selfishness." He met my gaze. "We have to work much more subtly than Evil Witches before us since humans don't believe in magic anymore. They have to believe the evil we cause come from them."

That made sense, but I couldn't really see him and our friends doing this on a weekly basis. "And this is what you guys have been doing every time I wasn't invited?"

"Not really. To be honest, our weekly gatherings are rather boring. Mostly, we monitor the work already done and make sure there isn't an imbalance."

"And what work would that be?"

He smiled. "The greatest evil work ever created. Greed and Pride; the two most lethal sins even in mortals' religious texts. Right now, those two are more widespread over the world than they ever have before, and it's impossible to beat them." He stood up to take his coffee cup to the kitchen.

"And that's a good thing?" I called after him. "Isn't all evil supposed to have something good to counteract it? Won't there be an imbalance if they're unbeatable?"

"For a while, it's exactly how it's supposed to be," he said and came back into the living room. "But logically, we all know it's time for a new age, which is why you won't find too many Evil Witches working against you or your goal. We're greedy and selfish, but not stupid."

"Never said you were," I said, and I could already feel the tensions from before fading from my shoulders. It felt so good to finally know, and even though I would never want to know any gory details, at least I now knew what he felt himself capable of, and his revelations hadn't been too surprising. Now, I reached out for him, and he willingly went to me. "Thank you for telling me."

"Anytime."

* * *

 **A/N:**

There is so much in this chapter that I want to know your thoughts on!

What did you think of my Goddess? Was she as you imagined? She revealed some stuff about the Seer part of Bella, what did you think of that? Who do you think is the true Seer? Someone we've met in the story, or someone we will meet?

And then there's Edward … what did you think about his revelations, and even more importantly, about his reasoning?

I know some of you have wondered for the entire story why I call them Evil Witches when they don't appear to be particularly evil, and this is my answer: it's like Edward said, in the modern world, Evil has to be more subtle, otherwise we mere mortals see it as something cartoonish ;-) I hope that answer satisfies you, and if it doesn't … well, there's not much I can do about that!

Until next time,

Stay Awesome!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:**

Finally another chapter for you guys!

I am not going to make excuses. This story is somewhat difficult for me to write. Maybe it's because I love it so much myself and I really want it to come out good, or maybe it's something else. I don't know.

Anyway, if you are the sort of person who hates waiting for updates, I do recommend that you only put this story on alert, but wait until it's finished to read. As much as I love getting feedback from you in real time, I am also realistic enough to know that I can't keep roping you in with promises of more regular updates when I know that's not true.

This story won't ever have a regular updating schedule, but as I have stated in my profile, I always, ALWAYS, finish my stories. It might take time, but I never abandon a story, so don't you worry about that ;-)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Bella thought she knew what her life looked like. It was normal teenage angst and high school boredom. However, one night proves her very wrong and she realizes everyone has been lying through their teeth. Bella isn't normal. Bella is a Witch. And she has a very important choice to make. B/E, Mature Content, AU/A(H)

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 583

* * *

 **{Chapter 20}**

I sealed the lock of the wooden case where I would be keeping a few prepared potions and ingredients Edward and I might need while we traveled, and also attached the sheath of one of my daggers to my belt.

Both of us wanted to travel as light as possible, so I only had two of the most necessary spell-books in my backpack, and one change of clothes. Since we'd move around mostly rural areas, we would also have to sleep out in the open, an aspect I wasn't looking forward to, but it couldn't be helped.

I had known it wouldn't be possible to live in five-star-hotels either because there was no way of knowing how long we'd be gone for. At least it was better I had Edward with me than being on my own. We'd be able to keep each other warm as December was approaching.

The door to my bedroom opened and Edward came inside. He was dressed like a backpacker in jeans and with sturdy boots on his feet. It was somewhat strange to see him in such gear because he always looked dressed up, no matter what he wore. This was the first time he truly looked casual for as long as I had known him.

"Are you ready?" he asked me and eyed my backpack. His own was slung over one shoulder.

I nodded. "Just about." I placed my dagger in the sheath. "I can't help but be nervous."

Edward dropped his backpack and came up to me. "We've talked about this, Angel. It's okay to be nervous. We _are_ heading out to the unknown." He put his arms around me and I relaxed in his embrace. "I will be with you the entire time, but I don't want you to feel too safe because of that. You perform your greatest magic under pressure, so try to trust your abilities and instincts."

I let out a small, incredulous laugh. "It's easy to tell you I will while we're here, but out there, I can't make any guarantees." I turned my head his way. "What if you get hurt because I freeze up?"

"You know I can take care of myself," he said with an amused smile. "And besides, it's a risk I'm willing to take." He softly kissed my lips. "You're fulfilling your prophecy. You're meant to do this. Never forget that."

"As if I ever could," I mumbled to myself. "I know I've already said it, but thank you for coming with me."

He smiled at me. "I wouldn't even dream of staying behind."

We remained in our embrace, but then I saw a glint reflecting off Edward's hand and I shifted to see what had caused it. It turned out to be a golden ring with intricate carvings on it in an ancient language I knew was extinct today.

"What's that?" I asked and brought his hand up to get a better look at the ring.

"It's a _P_ _eregrinatio_ ring," Edward answered, and as I was now quite well-versed in Latin, I immediately knew what the name was translated to, but I still didn't know what exactly it was.

"What's a travel ring? I've never heard of it before." I traced the ring with my index finger.

"They're not used much anymore. This one belonged to my great-grandfather, Anthony Masen. It works sort of like a compass. It senses the desire of the bearer and directs them toward their goal. Since we have no idea where these rouges are, I thought it could aid us."

I was in awe of the object. "Yeah, it will definitely be handy." I removed my eyes from the ring and entwined our hands instead so we could go downstairs together.

In the hall, we were met with Renee who was holding a plastic tube with a shoulder harness on it. "I have faith in you, Bella," she said earnestly. "I know you'll be fine on this journey, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared for everything that might happen." She handed me the tube and unscrewed the top. "Some of those you'll meet out there put a lot of weight on your ancestral line, and they might ask questions to verify you as you." She pulled out a large scroll of paper which she unrolled.

I inhaled sharply at the sight of my family tree, branched out from both my mom and dad and dated back all the way to the early 18th century. "Whoa. How come I haven't seen this before?"

"I always intended to show it to you, but with everything happening around the prophecies, it slipped my mind," Renee explained and then pointed at a name at the very top. "Isabella Amos-Ewing is the ancestor you're named after, and the last half-mortal Witch in your mother's bloodline."

I took a closer look at the dates underneath her name. "She was very young when she died," I stated in whispered words, but the other two still heard me.

"Yes." Renee nodded with a solemn expression. "Unfortunately, Isabella was burned at the stake before her daughter turned five. Her husband, Cyrus Ewing, never re-married."

"What does _Absconsus_ mean?" I asked while pointing at the word underneath Sarah Ewing's name; Isabella's daughter.

"It means _unknown_ ," Edward answered instead of Renee. "It's often written out on family trees when a person, in this case, the father of Sarah's daughter, wasn't ever mentioned in any documents. According to this, Sarah was fourteen when her daughter was born, and even though having children at an early age wasn't uncommon back then, my guess is either Sarah had an illicit affair with an already married man, or Elizabeth was conceived under much more sinister circumstances."

"Such as?"

"Rape," Edward replied brashly. "It wouldn't be particularly surprising if that's the case. After Isabella was burned, the Ewing family was dishonored, and no one would have wanted to take Sarah as a bride. For men back then, that made her fair game."

I narrowed my eyes in anger. "Barbarians." After taking an even closer look at the dates beneath my ancestors' names caused me to frown. While my father's side looked as normal as I would expect, my mother's side confused me. "How come every man on my mother's side always died one year before their wives?"

Both Edward and Renee appeared confused for a moment as they checked to see if what I'd said was true, and when also they noticed the peculiar pattern, they exchanged a speculative look.

"This looks like—"

"Yeah, it does."

"What?" I asked. "What does it look like?"

Renee hesitated to tell me as she always did when it was something particularly bad, but Edward did no such thing.

"A blood curse," he said. "Passed down from generation to generation, and it appears to have started with Sarah or Elizabeth." He made a small incredulous sound. "I'm surprised I didn't know this before. Dad must have known since he intended to marry Marie."

I stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. "What are you saying? I'm carrying a curse in my blood? Are you going to die just because you're with me?" My voice rose an octave with every panicked question, and I had already half-way convinced myself to break up with Edward just to keep him safe when he grabbed my shoulders.

"Calm down, Angel," he said with a reassuring smile. "We don't know for certain it's a blood curse. We're only guessing. And even if it is, your father didn't die a year before your mother so it might be broken already. Don't just assume anything before you have answers."

"Then how am I supposed to get answers?" His words hadn't calmed me down a whole lot and I was still freaking out. "I would never be able to live with myself if you die just because you're with me."

He sighed. "You know that is already a possibility, even without the curse. Your position in the community guarantees that."

"What?" I blinked, not really comprehending what he was telling me.

He shrugged as if it was nothing. "Being the partner of a leader isn't risk-free. Other Witches might try to harm me just to get to you. I was aware of that when I chose you over my dad."

I suddenly felt as if I was being swallowed whole by a bottomless pit. How could I have overlooked that detail? How could I have missed that I was endangering the love of my life? And why didn't I care enough about that to leave him?

There was no doubt in my mind that I loved him more than anything else, and I didn't want bad stuff to happen to him, but a huge part of me still wanted to stick by his side despite it all. If it put him in danger, I'd still have him with me until that moment.

"I know what you're thinking," he said in a very collected tone, and I met his gaze with uncertainty. "You want to protect me, but your desire to stay with me is too strong." I gaped at him, amazed he'd gotten it so right. "Am I wrong?"

"No." I shook my head. "How did you know?"

"Because I've felt the same ever since I realized I was falling in love with you," he replied and forced me to release my family tree with one hand so he could hold on to it. "From that moment, I fought with myself because I knew I was only following my dad's orders. Yet I was too selfish to let you go and stop trying to sway your choice in our favor. Being with you felt too right, and I wanted to keep you with me for my own sake more than my coven's. So I continued with the charade even though it was anything but by then."

"You've never told me this," I said, somewhat in awe of him.

"I thought it was a given that was the reason," he said. "But that's how I know what you're thinking, and I hope I only have to tell you this once; if you're afraid of being selfish by being with me, go ahead and be the most selfish person in the world. I don't care if that puts me in danger because it's worth it, and I'm afraid neither of one us have a choice either."

"What do you mean?"

Without another word, he rolled out my family tree again and directed my eyes toward the end of it where my own name was written, and underneath that, his was also adorning the document. Branching out from him, even some of his own ancestral line was present next to my own.

"What—"

"Every magical family tree writes itself, and with every addition to a family, it grows longer." His voice was softer than I'd it heard in a long time, and it caused warm tingles in my body, all the way out to my fingertips. "The fact that my name has been added to yours even though we're not married means you and I were predestined. I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

The bottomless pit disappeared from underneath my feet, and the ground had never been more solid. The fact that I finally had a truly stable foundation to stand on, knowing that Edward and I were simply meant to be gave me a sense of clarity I hadn't had before. I had to get closer to him and I promptly gave back my family tree to Renee so that I could wound my arm around his waist, and he pressed me as tightly against his chest as I was holding on to him.

"How fortunate I don't mind that at all, then," I said into the fabric of his shirt.

We held each other for a moment, and then when we parted, Renee stepped back into the conversation. "There is someone you could seek out to gain the answers about this supposed blood curse if you still want to."

I turned to her and was just about to ask who when Edward protested.

"I'd rather not. I've dealt with him before. He's not to be trusted."

"I agree with you," Renee said. "But he's the only one still alive."

It was frustrating that the two continued to speak about things I didn't understand. I felt left out, and I didn't enjoy having to ask them to clarify over and over again. "Could you stop doing that?" I asked. "I'd appreciate being included in conversations where I should have a say in the matter." Edward sighed and then threw his hands out in frustration, but this time, I wasn't having it. "Stop that. You need to accept that you can't protect me all the time, just I like I can't protect you. I need to know what you know to make an informed decision, don't I?"

He refused to say anything, and Renee took over.

"As you know from your studies, there is a certain kind of Witch who has control over the dead."

I nodded. "Yeah, Necromancers. But as I understood, there aren't many of them left."

"There aren't, but one remains here in America."

"Okay." I didn't really know why she was bringing the whereabouts of this Necromancer up because I couldn't understand how he could help me get answers about my ancestors' supposed blood curse. "How is he supposed to help?"

Edward stroke my upper arms with his knuckles. "Necromancers can do so much more than to create glorified zombies of dead people," he said, but it was clear he still didn't like this idea. "They can tap into the minds and memories of people long gone through their direct bloodline. In this case, he could find the origin of the blood curse, if there is one, through you."

"And I'm guessing from your tone that you don't want me to do that."

"Only because I know what it takes. You'd be effectively unconscious, vulnerable and defenseless. He'd be able to hurt you before I could intervene."

I thought about it for a moment, and while I didn't like to go against Edward's wishes in this since I knew it would cause him stress, I couldn't come up with an alternative. Still, I turned to Renee first. "Is there another way for me to find answers?"

"Could be, but a much more time-consuming one, and it still wouldn't guarantee answers like this one."

"What does it entitle?"

"Going through every book and document where your family is mentioned. The difficult part is we don't know if the origin is from the descendants of Isabella or from one of those married into the family. It would, essentially, take a lifetime to find answers that way."

I rubbed my forehead with the tips of my fingers. "Meaning: it takes time we don't have." I turned back to Edward and his back was stiff, but still resigned. He knew what I was going to say. "I need these answers before we can start searching for the rogues, and you know I do. I wish there was another way, but evidently, there are none. We have to go to the Necromancer first."

He clenched his jaw, very clearly displeased with the situation. "I know you're right, but it doesn't mean I like it."

"I don't either, but we don't have a choice." I rolled up my family tree and placed it back into the tube it was in, and then put it on so that the harness was diagonal across my chest. Then I glanced at the ring on Edward's hand. "Do you think that ring can take us to the Necromancer?"

"I know it can," he said with a strained voice. "As I said, I've dealt with him before. I hope our last encounter is fresh enough in his mind to keep him on his toes." He held out his hand for me to hold. "Hold on tight, and don't let go."

I did as he said, and almost immediately, the room around us started to melt away. It was as if the walls and interior, and even Renee, had been liquified, and the way it swayed and moved around us made me feel somewhat nauseous. A part of me wanted to let go of Edward's hand to place it over my mouth in case I would vomit, but almost as if he'd read my mind, he tightened his hold on my fingers and pulled me even closer to his side.

"We're almost there," he whispered in my ear, and I held on to that promise and hoping with everything in me that I would be able to keep my breakfast down.

Then, as if we suddenly landed on our feet after stepping off a cliff, everything around us solidified again. Gravel crunched under my shoes, and I looked down to see that we were standing on a rough stone floor. The walls around us were also of stone, smooth, but not polished.

There was no external light, but I was glad that it didn't feel particularly cave-like either. In fact, it felt more like a bunker.

We had obviously arrived, but Edward held on to my hand as we started forward. As we walked around a corner, we entered a chamber where a man was seemingly meditating in the middle of a candle-lit circle.

The man didn't look like I had expected. As one of the few living Necromancers left, I'd assumed he would be old, but he didn't look much older than Edward. He appeared tall and statuesque where he sat cross-legged with an impossibly straight back, and he had dark blond hair reaching below his shoulder blades gathered in a ponytail.

Edward made the move to approach him, but I held him back with the use of our still-connected hands.

"Do you really think we should interrupt him?" I asked, but before Edward could answer, the man in front of us did.

"Don't worry yourself, Isabella Alistair, descendant of Isabella Amos. Few things in this world have the ability to interrupt me." His voice was warm and soothing, but I was still suspicious.

"How did you know it was me and who I descend from?" I asked as harshly as I could.

"Apart from the fact that you and you're family history is very well-known, I make it my business to know such things," he answered before he stood up to face us with impressive grace. The eyes meeting mine were of a dark hazel-green color, and it felt as if he was looking right into my soul.

"Take it easy, there," Edward warned him when our eye-contact had lasted longer than was normal with a stranger.

"Ah, Edward Masen. Long time, no see," the man said with a somewhat sarcastic smile.

"Exactly the way I prefer it," Edward replied with a sneer, and I really started to wonder what kind of history the two men had with each other. I'd have to ask Edward about it after we were done here.

"So you said last time." The man turned away from Edward as if he couldn't be bothered with him anymore and gave all his attention back to me. "So, Isabella, tell me what I can do for our young leader today." He held out his hands in a welcoming manner, and even though I didn't feel intimidated by the man before us even in the slightest, Edward's posture told me I needed to be cautious.

I mustered up all my courage and took a determined step forward. "I need answers I can only find in my family's past. I hear you can help me with that."

There was an excited glint lighting up the man's eyes, and his entire being suddenly showed a lot more interest than it had the second before. "How delightful. I always enjoy diving into new families. What exactly is it you want to know and how far back do I have to take you?"

"I need to know if there's a blood curse in my family line, and I don't know the exact date except that it most likely started in-between 1745 and 1820."

The man hummed. "That's a large a time-span to search through. Lucky for you, I know which two people in your ancestry who were alive at that time. Sarah Ewing and her daughter Elizabeth, correct?"

I was shocked he just knew that without even having to think. "How did you know that?"

He smirked. "As I said, I make it my business to know. However, before I help with this, I need to know that you are prepared for what you might find. The descendants of Isabella Amos didn't always live happy lives."

"I already guessed as much," I told him. "I wouldn't have become who I am unless that was the case. But I still need answers."

With a gesture of his hand, he showed me a stone slab in a nook of the chamber, and with a nod of his head, he prompted me to approach it and lay down.

* * *

 **A/N:**

I had a certain Twilight character in mind when I described the Necromancer. Can you guess which one? ;-) I have a feeling many of you will actually get it wrong ;'D

And how excited are you over the next chapter when you'll get to read some of Bella's family history?

I also wanted to share the news with you that this story went through to **Round 2 in TFFA's** category **Favorite Undiscovered Gem**! I feel so much love from you guys, and I hope you'll want to continue to vote for this despite the slow updates.

Love you guys so much!

Until next time,

Stay Awesome!


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:**

I had a feeling you guys wouldn't be able to guess who my inspiration for the Necromancer is! XD Still, I loved your guesses.

Most of you thought Aro or Caius. Some even guessed James or Garrett even though both have already has been mentioned in the story (James is Jimmy: Edward's best friend and Garrett was one of the Good Witch leaders in the clearing where Bella met the Goddess), and I understood you based your guesses on their personality traits in the books.

Funny thing is that not one single character in this story is like their counterpart in Twilight. Renee is like the ultimate caregiver, Charlie is very indifferent, Edward is unbelievably selfish, Alice is silent, brooding, and filled with bad attitude etc.

So yeah, I'm sure this will be a shock for you!

My inspiration for the Necromancer is actually Jasper. Didn't see that one coming, did you? ;-)

 **I have to warn you. This chapter contains sexual assault.**

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Bella thought she knew what her life looked like. It was normal teenage angst and high school boredom. However, one night proves her very wrong and she realizes everyone has been lying through their teeth. Bella isn't normal. Bella is a Witch. And she has a very important choice to make. B/E, Mature Content, AU/A(H)

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 182

* * *

 **{Chapter 21}**

"If you'd, please, lie down."

I squared my shoulders, refusing to show how nervous I felt, and made the move to hop up on the stone slab, but Edward prevented me from doing so by grabbing my arm. I turned my head to look at him and he pleadingly shook his head.

"Bella, I don't like this."

"I know you don't," I said to acknowledge what he was saying, and then I placed my hand on his cheek. "But we're here, and our best bet is to just get this over with." To further reassure him, I stood up on my toes to whisper in his ear. "If you see him as much as twitch toward doing anything that could harm me, go ahead and kill him."

Edward sighed, but let go of my arm and took a step back.

The Necromancer had obviously seen our exchange as he wasn't blind, and he gave Edward a dark, teasing smile. "Don't worry. I'll bring her back in one piece. You have my word."

"Your word means nothing to me," Edward replied with poorly suppressed anger and tension while giving the other man a lethal glare. "If you harm one single strand of hair on her, you'll die a slow and painful death."

With an evil chuckle and roll of his eyes, the Necromancer took his position at the top of the slab. "You keep making promises, but I'll believe it when I see it."

My back was stiff as a board as I leaned back with my head closest to him.

"Relax," he told me with exasperation. "It'll hurt less if you do."

I stared up at him, clearly feeling my own annoyance building up. I could easily see why Edward didn't like him. The Necromancer wasn't an easy piece to swallow. "You didn't say anything about it hurting."

"Darling, I didn't say anything about anything," he retorted with glee before he placed his fingertips against my temples. "You might experience a slight headache, but I'm sure you've lived through worse."

As he started to chant in Latin, I met Edward's eyes one last time to reassure him, but also to give him my permission to stop it all if the man whose mercy I was in crossed the line.

" _Aufero_ _vincula saeculi e spatium_

 _A vis spiritum suum conscendo_

 _Loco bracchium emortualis conplecto_

 _Vita ex ante."_

The feeling was akin to falling asleep, except for when I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in the Necromancer's bunker, but in an unknown bed.

And I wasn't in control of my body.

It was quite unsettling, but it was clear there was nothing I could do. I simply had to go along for the ride.

The girl, because she was no doubt just a little girl, whose body I was possessing looked at the woman who had woken her up. She had curly red hair and blue eyes, and there was something with the nose that was very familiar, but other than that, I'd never seen her before.

"Is it morning?" the girl asked whom I could only assume was her mother and then rubbed her eyes.

"Yes, and you need to wash up before breakfast. There's fresh water in the basin for you, and I'll help you with your hair once you're done."

The girl did as her mother told her and then sat down to allow her braid to be redone. Like her mother, the girl had long red hair, but it was straight as corn-silk instead of curly. It was impossible for me to know how old the girl was, but I knew from her height that she was very young; at least under eight years old, and since no names had yet been said, I couldn't use my family tree as a reference of where and when I was.

"Where's Papa?" the girl asked as her mother finished up with the braid.

"He had to leave early, but he said he wouldn't be gone long."

"He promised to teach me about our garden today."

The older woman froze in her actions, and while I wasn't certain the girl could hear the tension in her mother's voice, I sure could. "Actually, it's better if you stay inside with me today, Sarah."

There was only one Sarah in my mother's ancestry line, so I immediately had my answer there. I was in Sarah Ewing's body, and the woman behind me was my namesake, Isabella Amos-Ewing; married to Cyrus Ewing.

I concentrated on remembering the dates under the names on the tree, and as I did, I recalled what Renee had told me: _"Unfortunately, Isabella was burned at the stake before her daughter turned five. Her husband, Cyrus Ewing, never re-married."_

Since I had guessed the girl to be under eight, that meant Isabella's fate wasn't far into the future.

A thought came to me then. Maybe that was why I'd been sent to this time? Would I actually have to witness my ancestor being burned? I hoped not. As I'd understood it, execution by burning wasn't the fastest form of death.

"Why?" Sarah asked her mother and turned around to look at her.

Isabella's eyes were troubled like I expected any parent would be when they had to explain something complicated to a child. "You know how I've told you to only ever perform magic inside the house? Because the people in the village wouldn't understand?"

Sarah nodded.

"There are some bad people out there who cannot accept our differences, and until they go away, we cannot do anything even related to magic, and that includes taking care of our herbs." Isabella took hold of Sarah's hand. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I doubted the girl really did, but she nodded anyway.

As Isabella served Sarah some breakfast in the one room that took up the entire downstairs floor of the small wooden house there was a knock at the door. Isabella went to open it, but as Sarah was so invested in her breakfast, I wasn't able to see who it was. I only heard the voices behind Sarah's back.

"I can't help you," Isabella said and the clinking of coins followed.

"But I'm paying you! Please, I need your help!" The woman outside of the door sounded hysterical, but it didn't faze Isabella.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The door was closed and seconds later, Isabella stroked her daughter's hair lovingly.

"Finish your breakfast and you can help me bundle up the dried lavender," she said before fetching a basket filled fragrant flowers.

The mother and daughter worked in content silence for most of the day, but when the time passed when Isabella had expected Cyrus to be back, she started to pace the house and occasionally stare out the window in worry.

Once again, I wasn't sure if Sarah fully understood her mother's concern, but me just being an unnoticed presence in her body could see that Isabella was absolutely terrified. From her earlier words to Sarah about the people in the village who couldn't accept their differences, I guessed a few people had already been accused and sentenced for witchcraft. It was natural that Isabella was worried for her husband. I know I would have been had I lived in that time and Edward had been gone too long.

Since it appeared to be in the middle of summer, it was still bright daylight outside even though it was late afternoon when there was finally the sound of crunching gravel outside the house. However, the sound came from too many feet, and they were almost running.

Isabella looked at Sarah with wide eyes, and I knew she was suspecting the same as I was. "Sarah, quick, hide under the stairs, and don't come out no matter what you hear, okay?"

"Mama?" Sarah whimpered as Isabella grabbed her small little wrist in her own and almost shoved her in under a small nook underneath the stairs toward the bedrooms.

"Please, honey, everything will be fine as long as you stay quiet."

A loud banging on the door caused both of them to flinch. _"Mistress Ewing, open the door! This is the warden!"_

Sarah started to cry as the banging became more urgent and the man outside continued to yell how Isabella had to open the door.

"Honey, please," Isabella begged her daughter. "Please, try to be quiet!" She kissed the top of Sarah's head and then hurried to the door.

" _Mistress Ewing, I demand you open this door! It's official business!"_

Through the cracks in the steps of the stairs, Sarah was able to see the door and her mother opening it.

"Wardens, what can I help you with?" she asked with a politeness which the wardens didn't reciprocate, but instead grabbed her arms violently.

"Isabella Ewing, you are under arrest for witchcraft and are to come with me without resistance to await trial."

Isabella didn't fight them, but before the door was closed behind her as the men forced her outside, she met her daughter's eyes and mouthed, _"I'm sorry."_

I was already aware that I wasn't experiencing the day at normal speed. It was more as if I was only there to witness the most crucial events, and one of those wasn't to hear Sarah cry heartbreakingly under the stairs because suddenly, it was night outside. Sarah was still huddled under the stairs when the front door opened, and a man came running in.

"Sarah?" he called, but the girl was too terrified to answer. "Sarah!?" That was when he heard the sniffling, and he bent down and held out his hands for Sarah to grab. "Sweetheart, come here."

Sarah crawled out and put her arms around the man's neck. "Papa," she whimpered, and I immediately understood the man was Cyrus Ewing.

"Oh thank God," he breathed out in relief. "I thought they'd gotten you too."

"Where did they take Mama?"

Cyrus didn't answer her because I expected he probably didn't know how to explain. Instead, he just held Sarah tighter in his arms.

The next thing that happened would have made me flinch if I'd been able to. As it was, Sarah held on to her father's neck tightly as the old man in the stand yelled out the verdict of Isabella's trial.

The public sitting in the courtroom roared and threw profanities and curses right and left as Isabella's wrists were tied together with sturdy rope, and she was dragged more than escorted outside of the building where I assumed a pyre had already been built.

In the mayhem, Sarah witnessed how her mother found them in the crowd and in panic screamed out for her husband.

"Cyrus! Cyrus, help me!" Her eyes were filled with tears and she tried to run toward her family, but they yanked her arms forward, almost causing her to fall over. Before she had regained her balance, Cyrus turned his back to her and moved to leave.

Sarah started to struggle in his arms and cried for her mother, but Cyrus forced her with him, leaving his wife to her fate. Part of me could understand him because as cold as he seemed when he just left, I was certain he did it for Sarah's sake. If he interfered, there was a risk Sarah would lose both her parents.

I doubted Sarah would see it that way, though. I'd already figured out that Sarah was most likely the origin of the supposed blood curse in my mother's ancestry, or I wouldn't have been sent to her body to see all of these things that had, with certainty, affected her negatively.

And I was right.

In the blink of an eye, there was a massive time jump, and I saw Sarah's reflection in the water of a creek where she was laboriously washing clothes. She was easily thirteen or fourteen now, but her dead eyes made her look ancient.

She wrung out the last garment, placed it in her basket, and stood up to walk home. But just a few paces down the road, a man, maybe in his late twenties, sat under a tree, and Sarah's step faltered. I wasn't sure why because I couldn't hear her thoughts.

The man turned at the sound of Sarah's approach and a broad grin took over his face. "If it isn't the little witch herself," he said and stood up. He towered over her, which wasn't unexpected.

"Leave me alone, Joshua," Sarah said and tried to pass him, but he wouldn't let her.

"Give me a good reason." There was something about his eyes which was very unsettling. It was almost as if they weren't human. Cold and colorless.

Sarah didn't give him a reason as she tried to pass again. "Stop it. I have to hang up these clothes to dry."

"Why don't you use magic to dry them?" he asked, and his tone was sinister.

Up until then, I had assumed Joshua was a mortal, but Sarah surprised with her fiery retort. "All of us aren't as lucky as you, you bastard! Had you been a woman, you would have been burned years ago."

He chuckled evilly. "Yes. Just like your mother."

The slap Sarah gave him was as fast as a snake attack, and it was clear Joshua hadn't expected it. He appeared shocked for about a second, but then, all light disappeared from his eyes, and he charged at Sarah.

"You little bitch!" His voice was closer to a growl. "I'll teach you to ever hit me again." He pulled her around the back of the tree and threw her onto the ground. Sarah tried to crawl away, but he quickly dragged her back. When he started to rip at her clothes and pull up her skirts, I understood what he was about to do, and since I saw it all through Sarah's eyes, it was as if he was doing it to me, even though I couldn't feel anything. I wanted to fight him to protect myself and to protect Sarah, but I was helpless and useless. All I could do was scream as loud as I could inside her head, but not even that was audible.

Sarah closed her eyes when she realized she couldn't fight Joshua. He was much too strong and heavy for her small frame. While I was relieved I didn't have to see his disgusting face, I still heard every scream and whimper coming from Sarah, and his forceful violent thrusts was still noticeable to even me.

I wanted to throw up when I heard him finish, and even more so when I once again remembered my family tree and the _'Unknown'_ father of Sarah's daughter. Sarah was fifteen when Elizabeth was born so there couldn't be a coincidence that Sarah was raped so close to that age. I was now certain that this was how Elizabeth was conceived, and I hated that this Joshua was actually an ancestor of mine.

Sarah had her eyes open again, but she wasn't looking at Joshua. Her head was turned sideways and she was staring at the grass, focusing on every single strand as if by doing so, she could transport herself away from there. I could feel her numbness, but also the simmering of her building anger. Who that anger was directed at, I couldn't tell, but I assumed it was Joshua.

He said something, and while Sarah didn't appear to hear him, I did.

"Not bad. I might have to pay you another visit someday."

Inside Sarah's head, I was screaming and kicking and cursing the bastard. I tried to use my powers, but, of course, nothing happened.

I wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours later when Sarah finally got up from the ground. She was wincing and walking very slowly as she made her way back to the creek. The basket with clothes was still on the road, but all the garments were once again dirty. Sarah didn't care. She took up the basket and walked toward the water.

She stripped out of all her clothes, except for the long white linen undergarment closest to her skin, and as she waded out into the water, I noticed the blood coming down her legs. When the icy water hit her abused genitals, she hissed first, but the cold must have helped with the pain because it was the only sound she made as she started to scrub herself clean. Not one more sound escaped her even as she roughly washed between her legs.

Once she was done, she dried herself off and redressed in one of the other garments in the basket. The one she'd been wearing had stains of blood on it, and she threw that into the creek angrily. But then, she fell to her knees and started crying hysterically.

However, they were tears of anger, and her mumbled words dripped with hatred. "I vow on my own life, you will regret this, Joshua."

When she removed her hands from her face, there had been another time jump. Sarah was screaming at her father, and he was red-faced as he screamed right back at her.

"You're with child?! You've endangered your entire future. You're not even close to marriage! How could you be so stupid?"

"You think I _wanted_ this?"

"You bedded a married man," Cyrus yelled, and it was clear he thought Sarah only had herself to blame.

"He _violated_ me, you bastard!"

"He's married to the warden's daughter, and forever safe from prosecution. Why ever would he jeopardize that for you?"

Sarah threw a bowl at her father's head in fury. "You're supposed to be on my side! But you've always favored yourself more than anyone else." Her words were filled with poison, like a viper's tongue. "You'll abandon me now, won't you? Just like you abandoned my mother."

Cyrus didn't answer, but his facial expression told me it wasn't the first time he and Sarah had that conversation.

Everything unraveled fast after that and I was no longer attached to Sarah's body. I became a spectator as I watched a very pregnant Sarah kill Joshua, and then used his blood in her vengeance against her father.

It was the darkest form of magic I'd ever seen, and it scared me someone could feel such hate toward herself, everyone around her, and the ones who would descend from her. She wanted everyone to feel her misery, and when she watched her father's life slowly fade out of him, her eyes were that of a woman who enjoyed seeing the world burn.

I was wrenched from the past, but even before I could register I was myself and back in my own body again, I violently threw up by the side of the stone slab.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Yeah, I know that was very dark! I hope I didn't scare you too much.

Okay, so Edward obviously doesn't like the Necromancer, do you have any theories as to why?

Next up, Bella and Edward will for real start their journey, and while looking for rouges is a part of it, she hasn't old Edward about wanting so find the library she saw in the Seer's memories. How do you think he will react when she tells him?

Until next time,

Stay Awesome!


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:**

Well, finally, I have another chapter for you, and I also wanted to share some news with you.

About 3 weeks ago, I got a job! Yay!

Unfortunately, it means it's taking time out of my writing, and updates will be even slower than before on this. I apologize on that beforehand. You'll read more about this issue at the bottom, and you'll get to have your say in what you think I should do about it :)

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Bella thought she knew what her life looked like. It was normal teenage angst and high school boredom. However, one night proves her very wrong and she realizes everyone has been lying through their teeth. Bella isn't normal. Bella is a Witch. And she has a very important choice to make. B/E, Mature Content, AU/A(H)

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 2, 737

* * *

 **{Chapter 22}**

"Angel!"

Edward held me tightly and kept my hair out of the way until my stomach calmed down and I was able to sit back up straight.

"I warned you, darling," the Necromancer said and tsked, unimpressed at my purging as he stepped away from us. "You'd better clean up after yourself before you leave."

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and glared at his back. "You said I might experience a headache. You call this a headache?" I spat out venomously, the hate I'd felt from Sarah lingering in my heart.

"Everyone reacts differently," he replied nonchalantly. "It depends how strong of a psyche you have." He looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "It appears you have a rather weak one."

"Watch it," Edward said with a clear warning in his voice.

"Just telling it as it is."

I jumped down from the slab and strode up to him and grabbed his wrist using all my strength. He didn't flinch at my hold, but he looked down at where my hand was in interest. "If you value your life, I suggest you shut up," I threatened darkly through clenched teeth.

The Necromancer laughed. "Looks like Sarah had quite the affect on you, darling." He easily pried his wrist out of my hand as if my grip wasn't stronger than a child's, and it annoyed me more than it should have. " _A_ _uferetur_ _spiritu!_ " he whispered and snapped with his finger close to my ear.

The hate and darkness I'd felt in my heart faded away, and I felt momentarily confused before the Necromancer explained.

"Sometimes, the spirit of the body you've possessed lingers. Sarah wasn't quite ready to let you go."

I shuddered and Edward came up behind me to place his hands on my arms.

"What did you see?"

"Everything," I whispered. I felt incapable of speaking louder about the subject. "It was as you thought. Sarah was raped by another Witch. There was nothing I could do." My hands clenched into fists as I thought of Joshua again. "It was as if he was doing it to me."

Edward's hands tightened on my arms. "I'm sorry, Angel. I wish you wouldn't have had to go through that."

"I'll live," I replied bitterly. "I didn't feel anything, but seeing it was enough." I turned around in his arms and allowed him to embrace me for a moment, then I looked up at him. "She killed him and used his blood to kill Cyrus. If that doesn't cause a blood curse, I don't know what would."

"You're right," Edward agreed. "Using another Witch's blood to exact revenge always leaves its mark. Sarah's hate for everyone around her made it worse."

"So what are we supposed to do? I can't live with the thought of having to endure my last year in this life without you. No matter how far into the future that might be."

"Don't stress over it." He cupped my jaw in his warm hand. "There were a lot of variables in Marie and Nicholas relationship that differed from your ancestors'. The curse could very well already be broken." He leaned in to kiss me, but before our mouths could touch, the Necromancer made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat.

"I can't take any more of this sap. If I check the blood curse for you, will you leave me alone?"

Edward gave him a suspicious stare. "How do you know how to do that? That's not your power."

He rolled his eyes. "I was older than ancient before you were born. Believe me, I've picked up a few tricks along the way. I can do things your tiny desires can't even dream of."

I felt Edward shift his weight to charge at the man, but I stopped him with a calm hand. I wanted to get out of the bunker and ask Edward about his past with this Witch, but I wasn't stupid enough to reject the offer.

"What do you need from me?" I asked.

"Obviously your blood," the Necromancer replied as if he questioned my intelligence. I didn't let his taunting get to me this time because I'd understood it did no good. It only spurred the man on. I grabbed the dagger from my belt. "How much?"

"So eager," he breathed out as his grin widened. "I like it. You might have what it takes after all." He fetched one of the candles from before, spoke quiet words to it, causing the flame to turn bright red. "Unfortunately, for now, I only need a drop."

Without taking my eyes off his grinning face, I pricked my finger with the tip of my dagger and allowed the red liquid to ooze out. He directed me to squeeze out a drop over the flame. For a second, the flame burned brighter, and then it burned out with a fizzle, emitting a small puff of pure white smoke.

"Your blood is as pure as a newborn's, darling," the Necromancer announced and put the candle down on a table. "Now, as much as I've enjoyed this visit, you've outstayed my welcome. Clean up your mess and leave."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes at him. As grateful as I was he'd helped me find out I was curse-free, he didn't stop trampling all over my nerves. " _Tersus,_ " I said and directed my hand at where I'd vomited, and the room was once again spotless.

Neither of us made the effort to say goodbye. Edward and I clasped hands and used his ring to get out of there, and when we were able to breathe fresh air again, I sagged down on the ground in relief.

"Talk about roller-coaster ride," I mumbled and put my head in my hands. We'd landed somewhere on the coast, and the angry wind was blowing my hair in every direction, but I couldn't be bothered to pull it into a ponytail.

Edward sat down beside me but didn't touch me. "Yeah, he's a lot to handle."

I turned my head and looked at him. "What's your deal with him anyway? It seemed very personal."

"It is," he confirmed, and his shoulders and neck were tense. "And a long story."

"We've got nothing but time at this point," I reminded him. "Tell me. You promised me no more secrets before we left."

"It's not really a secret. It just involves a lot of people." He took a deep breath to help him relax and then leaned back on his hand. "The Necromancer has a name. I doubt it's the one he was born with, but I know him as Jasper. He used to be a part of my coven when my grandfather, Tobias Masen, was its leader."

"I thought Necromancers were solitary Witches. That they prefer working alone."

"They do, but a few decades back, when there were more of them, it wasn't uncommon for covens to have Necromancers. They were more accepted in our community. A coven with its own Necromancer was seen as a powerful one, and Jasper's one of the oldest ones in history, which raised my covens status even further."

Something he thought of caused him to shake his head, but before I could ask, he continued with the story.

"During most of the 20th century, wars raged all over the world, and it was a playground for all the Necromancer. With the mortals' high death count, they'd never had that many dead to play with, and things got way out of hand. It ended with Necromancers being banned from covens to spend the rest of their existence as far away from society as possible." He turned to look at me. "You might not have noticed it, but that bunker is a prison. Jasper can never leave. Witches can visit him as much as they want, but he can never step foot outside. He lives now through the memories of others."

I let that thought sink in for a moment and then nodded. "I guess I should feel sympathy for him, but I'm not," I confessed. "If he warranted an exile, he deserves what he got. And he didn't seem to mind too much."

"He doesn't really, but no matter how much you enjoy isolation, being robbed of your freedom for eternity isn't fun for anyone."

I could agree with that much, but I didn't comment further. Maybe I'd look into the Necromancers exile in the future, but they'd have to really prove themselves trustworthy before I even considered granting them their freedom back.

"A couple of years before we met, I sought him out as I wanted more information about my family. More specifically, my mother's side." He gently touched the tube which held my family tree. "Look anywhere around Stoneheart Mansion and you can find traces of my father's ancestors, yet there is nothing about my mother. Not that it surprised me a lot because my mother wasn't born into the coven. Like Alice, she joined us as a teenager."

"Where's her former coven?"

He pursed his lips tightly and clenched his jaw in annoyance while softly shaking his head. "That's the problem. I don't know. Mom never spoke of them. Only said they did something unforgivable and she left." He shrugged, but his eyes told me the mystery eluded him to this day. "I didn't care much as I grew up. I had my grandparents and my friends, and it was enough for me. But I searched for Mom's maiden name, Vates, at a genealogical website once and the only hits were of people from Europe. I didn't ask her about it because Mom gets very angry every time we bring up her family, but I got curious, and that was why I went to Jasper."

As he told the story, he looked out over the water in front of us, and his eyes were far away as he remembered.

"At first, he said he wanted to help, but that I'd have to do him a favor as payment. He wanted to be allowed to just leave the bunker once every year, and I promised I'd talk to Dad about it. I lay down on the slab and he started to chant, just like with you, but nothing happened. He started to laugh and it didn't appear as if he could stop. I understood then that he had never intended to help me. I had been his entertainment when I came and asked for help, and so after tossing him around the bunker until he couldn't stand, all the while he never stopped laughing, I left. Today was the first time we met since that day."

I didn't know how to react to his story. It was sort of odd to me because I didn't understand why Jasper would ask for a favor he clearly wanted and then pull one on Edward who was essentially the only person within the next fifty years who could give him some of his freedom back.

It didn't add up.

None of this did I say to Edward, though. I didn't want him to believe I thought he wasn't justified in his anger toward Jasper, so until I knew more, I'd keep my mouth shut.

"I get why you're angry," was all I said now. "I'm sorry I forced you to face him."

"It's fine, Angel," Edward said and gave me his trademark smirk. "It was years ago, and while I'll never like the guy, I can't really blame him anymore for wanting something new to happen every once in a while."

"Did you ever get the answers about your family's family?" I asked and swallowed thickly. I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

"No. Until Mom feels like she can talk about it, which I don't know if it'll ever happen, it will remain a mystery. But if Dad can accept it, then so can I."

 **§~TU~§**

We used all means of travel as we started to move through the country. Whenever we were positive no mortals would be around our destination, we used the ring, but even rouges lived in the cities, and we had to use regular forms of transportation to remain inconspicuous.

The first one we encountered was in South America. In the Three Crosses mountain range in Bolivia to be exact.

The rugged Evil Witch didn't speak any English, but Edward cast a quick translation spell to help us all understand each other.

She'd heard of me and my prophecy, and she leeringly asked me why she should recognize me, a little girl, as her magical leader. She had denounced all forms of community and only wanted to perform her own magic in peace.

Luckily, I'd made my research. There were stories going around in the cities around the mountains. Venturing into them rarely meant you came back. There were rumors of curses and the child of the mountain; a demon.

I confronted her with the stories and gave her two choices. Either she recognized me as her leader and kept a leash on her child, or the child would come with us. It was harsh of me to give me that ultimatum, but the woman had already made it clear she wouldn't cooperate when asked nicely.

"It's not my wish to take your child from you," I said to make it clear my intent wasn't to become a dictator. "I'm not asking much. You can stay here with your child for the rest of your lives if you so wish. I will never call for you to come to me. All I ask is that you clean up the mess your child has made and, in the future, keep the magic exposure to a minimum."

The woman thought about it for a moment, and then, rather reluctantly, nodded.

"You have to take the allegiance vow," Edward reminded her harshly. "A nod isn't enough."

A sneer took over the woman's face, but, nevertheless, she kneeled before me and said the required words. _"I swear on the Goddess_ _that I give you my allegiance and pledge you my commitment. Shall I ever break this vow, I ask the Goddess to strike me down without mercy."_

I accepted her pledge, and that was all that was needed.

It continued like that whenever we encountered a rouge. Some resisted more than others. Some did as Renee had predicted and wanted to make sure I was truly the one I claimed to be. They'd all heard of me and my prophecy, and a lot of them explained they'd left the community because of the lack of leadership and structure. That they were fed-up with the coven leaders greed.

That was the repeated story amongst the Evil Witches. It was different with the Good. They claimed they wanted to become one with nature and Goddess again. Some of them had stopped performing magic and tried to live mortal lives with their mortal families, but since their children were half-witches, I had to remind them they couldn't escape. They had to take their responsibility toward the next generation.

In the end, they all took the allegiance vow, but I had already anticipated that part wouldn't be too hard since I could reason with both sides. The most arduous task was, naturally, to find them all, and weeks quickly turned into months.

One night, about four months after we'd left home, Edward and I had, for once, taken in at a motel in Greece. I was in that state where I wasn't awake, but not fully asleep either. I was aware of Edward spooning me, his naked skin against my own, but I was halfway in dreamland.

I felt the presence of someone, but I couldn't say if it was a part of my dream or if someone had actually broken into our room. I had no idea what the figure looked like, but I heard whispers.

Hushed words I would forget as soon as I woke up.

" _Your love for him shall be no more,_

 _Your heart shall no longer soar._

 _When looking upon his face,_

 _Love into hate will now replace."_

* * *

 **A/N:**

Dun, dun, DUN!

Oh my god! What just happened? Was that real, or a dream? In that case, who was it? What will happen now?

And furthermore, what did you think of the history between Edward and Jasper?

I know updating on this story is slow, and I am sorry about that! The only excuse I have is that I love this story so much, and I really want it to come out right, so I am taking it excruciatingly slow. Therefore, I want to hear from you guys. Do you want me to continue the way I have and update the story when I have a chapter ready for you, or do you want me to stop updating and finish the story first? The power is in your hands!

Until you hear from me again,

Stay Awesome!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:**

I don't know if I replied to all of you who asked me to continue with my updating schedule, but if I did miss any of you, I just wanted to let you know that I am continuing the way I have been doing with this story.

Pretty much all of you said you prefer getting a chapter here and there, and I mostly aim to please!

I hope this chapter is worth the wait. Now let's see what happens to Bella after that weird thing happened during the night. A dream or reality?

 **Title:** The Undecided

 **Author:** MarieCarro

 **Beta Reader:** SarcasticBimbo

 **Genre:** Supernatural/Drama

 **Pairing:** Bella/Edward

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Summary:** Bella thought she knew what her life looked like. It was normal teenage angst and high school boredom. However, one night proves her very wrong and she realizes everyone has been lying through their teeth. Bella isn't normal. Bella is a Witch. And she has a very important choice to make. B/E, Mature Content, AU/A(H)

 **Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Chapter Word Count:** 3, 291

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 **{Chapter 23}**

My head felt like it was being split by a meat cleaver the second I opened my eyes and the early morning sun streaming in through the open sliver in the curtain didn't help much. I wanted to get up and tighten the curtains, but even the smallest movement made my headache worse, so I grabbed my pillow and put it over my head instead, but naturally, that made it hard to breathe.

Edward, disturbed by my restless fidgeting, groaned and rolled over on his side away from me, and only seconds after, his heavy breathing told me he'd gone back to sleep.

For some reason, that really annoyed me and I dug my nails into the fabric of the pillow, almost to the point of tearing holes in it. However, my annoyance only built up until I was absolutely seething with anger.

As I got out from the bed, I wrapped the cover under my arms, and I didn't even care that I took it from a still-sleeping Edward, who immediately tensed up from the change of temperature and curled in on himself.

"What the hell?" he murmured groggily and leered at me through sleepy eyes.

"Oh, look at that," I said with fake cheeriness and heavy sarcasm. "It's awake." I was momentarily shocked at how I had phrased my words because I had never addressed Edward in such a manner. Yet at that very moment, it felt appropriate, and the shock quickly wore off.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up. "Are you okay?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm great. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are you sure? You're acting weird, Angel." He got out of bed and pulled on his pants with his back to me. It made me feel belittled and ignored and I felt my eyes become aglow.

"You're calling me weird? Do you think I'm a freak?" I asked the questions through a tightly clenched jaw and my hands were tightened into fists. I felt only seconds away from either magically hurting him or simply hitting him. Whichever happened first.

"What? No, I said you're _acting_ weird." He turned around and when he saw my icy-blue eyes and ready-to-fight stance, he gave me a cautious stare and held up his hands in surrender. He obviously realized I wasn't in the mood for his stupidity. "Angel? What's wrong?"

It was as if he poured gasoline on a small flame.

"Oh, so now there must be something wrong?" I yelled. "Then you tell me. What _is_ wrong with me?" It was a challenge, and I itched for him to take it just so that I'd have an excuse to go at him.

He took a step back when I took one forward, but there wasn't much space in the motel room, so he quickly became trapped against the wall. "You're twisting my words. Why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset," I insisted and continued to walk closer. "You're being an asshole!"

"Bella, please, stay back," he warned. "I don't want to use my powers on you, but you're not giving me much choice." He felt cornered, and I could see he was getting angry himself.

Good. It would make everything a lot easier.

"What do you think you can do to me, Edward?" I asked rhetorically and with a clear threat. "I'm more powerful than you. You wouldn't even leave a scratch." We were almost toe to toe with each other at that point.

He gave me an unamused grin. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?"

I glared at him. "I just might."

He looked me dead in the eye, and while there was pain there, there was also acceptance and resignation. "Go ahead."

I didn't like that. I wanted him angry, and to fight back, so I swung my arm back, aiming to hit him across his jaw, but he was faster than me and stopped me by grabbing my fist in his larger hand.

As soon as our skin touched, it was as if he'd provided me with strong pain-killers, and my headache from hell dissipated until all I felt was fatigue. Edward had let go of my hand as soon as I lowered it, and I stumbled back, grabbing my head in my hands and groaned. I lost my balance and fell down on the floor, then pressed myself against the opposite wall of Edward.

My anger had melted away and all I felt was an overwhelming sense of guilt and disgust at myself. "Edward," I whimpered, somewhat terrified of myself. "I'm sorry. I don't know what that was. That wasn't—"

His touch stopped me, and I looked up to meet his eyes.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked, concern coloring his tone but a stern edge remained.

"Tired," I said but then corrected myself. "Actually, more like exhausted. But at least the headache I woke up with is gone."

He nodded to himself, and then he brought me tight against his chest. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry," I repeated and snuggled against his bare chest, comforted by his body warmth.

"No need to apologize. I think I know what happened, but I need you to tell me everything you remember of yesterday evening and if you woke up at all during the night." He leaned away from our embrace and studied my face. "Any little detail can be important."

"What do you mean? Do you think someone did this to me?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I think you were cursed."

"To do what?"

Edward thought about it for a moment. "Your anger was directed at me, but if the intention would have been to kill me, you wouldn't have bothered waking me up." He took in my disquieted expression and cupped my cheek. "I think they wanted to break us apart because, whoever it was, know we're stronger together. Luckily, it wasn't a very strong curse, or maybe it didn't fully work on you because a touch was all it needed to be broken."

Something scratched on my conscious and tried to make itself known; a memory perhaps.

"I—" I started, but I was so uncertain of myself that I stopped before I got a full sentence out.

"What?" Edward encouraged.

"It's probably nothing, but I think I had a dream about someone watching us sleep." I was prepared of Edward waving it away, but when he instead straightened up from his crouch and started to search the room, I felt confused. "You don't think it was a dream?"

"No, I don't." He went down on all fours and looked underneath all the furniture, but he came up empty and sighed. "They were smart enough to not leave any trace."

"Wait, Edward..." I stood up as well and placed myself in front of him. "Are you saying someone came into our room and cursed me in my sleep in order to break us up?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"But how did they even know we were here?"

"We haven't exactly tried to stay hidden," he pointed out to me.

"Okay, then, but why now? We've been traveling alone for four months, and before that, we were alone plenty of times before we left America." My questions were valid and Edward nodded in agreement, but then something occurred to him.

"Maybe they're running out of time," he murmured.

The implication of his words caused chills to run down my spine. "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember what Charlie deciphered of the prophecy you predicted?"

"Of course I do." A day didn't go by without me thinking of it or what the Goddess had told me afterward, which had pushed me to even do this journey. Edward still didn't know what I was secretly searching for alongside finding the rouges, but maybe it was time I let him know.

"You had the prediction in November, and it's March now. Three months until my birthday, and that means my opponent's birthday is also coming closer. Maybe this birthday is significant. Maybe that is why it was included in the prophecy," Edward theorized.

I hoped with everything in me that he was wrong, even though his words felt right. Three months to figure everything out wasn't nearly enough time, and I instantly knew I had to tell Edward about the library. Apparently, his opponent wasn't the only one running out of time.

"Yeah, maybe," I mumbled now and then inhaled deeply. "Edward, I need to tell you something."

Edward reacted toward my tone and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He knew it was something serious. "Yeah?"

"I haven't been fully honest with you, and I know I asked you to not keep secrets from me, but I've been keeping something from you." The words burned like sour bile in my throat because I hated to admit that I'd basically been lying to him, but it had to be said. It was my own fault that I'd waited this long, and I had to take the consequences of that choice.

"This journey wasn't just to find the rogues. There is another purpose for it; one I've kept to myself." I had to tell him everything for him to understand, and that meant going back to the day everything started. "You know the morning after Samhain? When we discovered my Seer powers."

"Hard to forget something like that, Angel," Edward replied. His arms were crossed across his chest and his shoulders were tense. He was expecting the worst, but he still called me "Angel" and I saw that as a good sign. I hadn't lost his trust in me yet.

"Well, I wasn't entirely honest with Charlie when I said the visions started after the Seer fell from the cliff. I saw more than that; much more. In fact, I saw how he was killed."

Edward drew a sharp breath but didn't interrupt. "It wasn't done with magic. He was physically pushed off a cliff by someone he knew. They had a conversation about some form of knowledge, but I didn't hear the attacker's voice or see their face, so I have no idea who it was."

I was still only wearing the sheet from the bed wrapped under my arms, and as I slowly revealed what I'd been keeping secret for months, I felt even more bare in front of Edward than I'd ever felt before.

"However, I did see something that I believe will give us all the answers we need." I licked my lips which had become very dry. "A library. One only the Seer knows the location of. Ever since we left home, I've secretly searched for that library."

For the longest moment of my life, Edward stared at me silently and contemplated his words. I wanted to ask him to say something, but I didn't want to make matters worse before I knew how mad at me he was.

"Why would you keep something like that a secret? Didn't you think I deserved to know what this journey was really about?"

I flinched even though his tone wasn't the least bit harsh or angry. It was most likely because of my own guilt. Edward was the person I trusted the most in the entire world, and I felt like I'd betrayed him big time despite my initial feeling of staying quiet about the library.

"It had nothing to do with you," was my attempt to explain. "When I first saw that library, I got this intense feeling that the Seer didn't want me to tell anyone, and everything was so new at that point." I reached for Edward's hand in the hope that touching him would make him forgive me, but he pulled his hand away. That hurt more than anything else.

"How could you ask me to not keep secrets from you while you've dragged me along on false pretenses and keeping huge secrets yourself? How does that sound fair to you?"

I shook my head because it wasn't fair and I wasn't going to claim it was. "It's not, and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you."

"It's supposed to be you and me, Bella. The two of us against everyone else. How can we be that if you don't trust me?" There was the anger I had waited for, and his eyes were almost on fire with it.

"I do trust you," I insisted even though I already knew the words meant little to him now. "I trust you with my life. The only excuse I have is that I'm still learning and that I go with what my instincts tell me because they haven't failed me so far."

"That's not an excuse," he disagreed and walked past me until he stood by the window and stared out at the still-rising sun. "Why did your instincts tell you to mistrust me with this?"

"I don't know," I exclaimed as my desperation for his forgiveness reached its climax. "Edward, I really don't. Sometimes, I feel as much an observer in all of this as you are. I don't always feel in control of my emotions or my powers and they sometimes feel like they're not mine. I didn't understand why until the Goddess explained it to me!"

Edward froze and then slowly turned to me with wide eyes. "How did the Goddess explain it to you?"

I realized then what I'd unintentionally revealed, and I desperately hoped it wouldn't affect the prophecy in any way. "She appeared in front of me … that day with Renee before we left."

"What?" he breathed out in awe. "You saw her? You, for real, met the Goddess?"

"Yes," I confirmed and nodded to strengthen it even further. "She actually manifested in your form, at first, and I thought it was you until she touched me."

"Why me?"

"She said she always appears in the form of the one a person trusts the most. To incite comfort and familiarity."

The fire in Edward's eyes died down, and I understood I'd said the one thing that would help him forgive me because all Witches, Good and Evil, respected the Goddess and her word more than anything else. I also wanted to believe he heard the truth in my words.

"What did she tell you?"

I swallowed thickly. It was now or never. "That I'm not the real Seer. I'm only a vessel of the power until the true Seer is ready."

"And who is that?"

All I could do was shrug. "I don't know. And the Goddess didn't want to tell me because apparently, it hasn't been decided yet."

He hummed. "That's cryptic."

"Tell me about it."

We looked at each other for another moment, and then he let his guard down completely and I could approach him again. We entwined our hands, and both of us let out a sigh at the touch. It really was him and me against everyone else, and we couldn't let stuff keep coming in between us.

"I really am sorry, Edward," I said earnestly. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you, even though I knew it was a possibility. But I promise I don't have any more secrets now. You know everything, and I never want to keep anything from you again."

A small and breathy laugh left him. "That's comforting to hear."

I smiled when I knew he had forgiven me. He didn't need to say the words because I could feel it in the air around us. I stood up on my toes and kissed his willing lips. "I love you, Edward. No more secrets."

"No more secrets," he echoed and kissed me again.

We remained in our embrace for a moment, but then I felt Edward shift his weight, and I leaned away to see what he was doing. He was looking intensely at something on the floor, and when I followed his look, I saw a glimmer in the very corner by the leg of the dresser.

Edward crouched down and picked up the item. It was a golden earring.

"Is this yours?" he asked, but his tone said he already knew it wasn't.

"No. I don't own any earrings like that." Edward studied the earring closer. "Do you recognize it?"

"No," he replied. "But it could be a clue as to who cursed you."

"You think so?" I asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Yeah, but it could also be from a former guest or even the cleaning lady."

I huffed because I couldn't hold my frustration in. "That's reassuring," I commented sarcastically.

"Just keeping it real, Angel," he said with a grin over his shoulder before pocketing the earring. "Maybe we can find something in that library that can reveal the owner of the earring."

"We just have to find it first," I reminded him, but I was beyond relieved to finally have someone to discuss ideas and theories with because doing that on my own had lead to squat.

"Do you have any leads at all?" he asked, now fully on-board with helping me.

"That's kind of why we're here in Greece," I told him. "Renee and Charlie said the Seer's body was found in the Samaria Gorge on Crete. I thought we could go there because I haven't found anything solid anywhere else."

Edward agreed and we got ourselves ready. Just before we left the room, Edward paused and gave me a wondering look.

"Just out of curiosity, how did you plan on keeping this little expedition from me? You know, in case you wouldn't have had to tell me about this library."

I gave him a smirk. "The same way I've conducted my secret investigation so far."

"And how's that?" he asked playfully. He could easily joke about it now that he knew I wouldn't lie to him.

"I would seduce you, and after you fell asleep, I'd sneak the ring off you." I nodded toward the ring which he thought he always had on his finger, but I'd borrowed it plenty of times in the last four months.

He looked at his hand incredulously. "There's no way you were able to do that without waking me up. I'm a very light sleeper."

I chuckled. "Oh, baby, after sex, someone could demolish this very room with a wrecking ball, and you wouldn't notice."

He blinked and then tightened his lips, displeased. "That's not good. That means we've been vulnerable almost every night."

I shook my head. "Don't worry. I always cast loads of protection spells before I left, so you were perfectly safe."

"I wasn't referring to myself," he mumbled and then narrowed his eyes at me. "No more sex until we've found this library."

The ultimatum didn't sit well with me, but two could play at that game. "Hey, don't look at me when you say that. Find a mirror."

He knew I was messing with him and he threw his arm around my shoulder to pull me tightly against his side so he could kiss the top of my head. "You're as insatiable as I am, Angel, and you know it."

I pretended to sigh in annoyance. "I guess that's why we're so perfect for each other."

He nodded in agreement even though what I'd said was a gross understatement of what we were and had with each other. "I guess."

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 **A/N:**

Soooooo … thoughts?

I don't really have anything to say here because I'm starting to worry I'll say too much in the A/N, and that I'll unintentionally spoil the entire reveal, which I don't want to do :-P

Anyway, it's moving forward, and I'm already writing on the next chapter for you!

Until next time,

Stay Awesome!


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